How to Train Your Draco
by B-Rated
Summary: Draco Malfoy is twice cursed. Long before the Dark Mark graced his arm his family had been hiding something else. Now that his 18th birthday approaches it's time to seek some help. Unfortunately, that help comes in the form of one confusing Weasley.
1. The Dragon and His Keeper

How to Train Your Draco

Chapter 1- The Dragon and His Keeper

Romania in spring was beautiful, Charlie had to admit. The breeze was nice, the sun was perfect, and the nights nice enough to sleep outside under stars and dragons.

He loved dragons.

There was something to them. Their beauty, their power, their tempers; great beasts of majestic ability and grace. They had the power to either crush a man or inspire him.

Charlie set down the buckets of water he was carrying up from the taps. He whipped his brow and whistled loud.

Sure enough the group of fledglings came bounding and half flying over the ridge. He turned the bag that was across his chest, opening it and tossing the meat onto the ground. The adolescent dragons took to wrestling and eating with valor.

Charlie had plenty of responsibilities on the reservation. Feeding the orphans was one of his favorites. "Oh, Kiamo, you still have that split flexor?" Charlie approached the dragon dragging its wing carefully. Even though these were fledglings they still had some bark to their bite. He held out his hand for it to examine while he reached into his bag for a treat to gain its trust.

Dragons had their tempers. One second they trusted you, they loved you, the next you were lunch. Tricky things they are.

The weakling of the group lunged for his treat of rancid pig intestine, letting his keeper get closer to his wing. Charlie kneeled to be less threatening. He reached for the wounded wing when a bright blue patronus of a unicorn came pounding the ground.

Charlie stood and the dragon children scattered to their nests. The unicorn tossed its head and ran though Charlie, nearly knocking him down.

He left the buckets and walked down the hill.

His superior was standing by the barn where they kept the abandoned eggs. It was right on the edge of the reservation, meant to look abandoned itself. Kept muggles out, letting them think this nothing but unruly farmland, also helped to have a few dozen spells in place.

"You summoned?" Charlie asked.

She looked up from her clipboard briefly before shoving a folder into his chest. "Congratulations."

Charlie looked at her confused.

Bianca was a beautiful woman, as beautiful as a woman can be when she's a dragon keeper. She had long brown hair, always kept up, out of the way, wore clothes just as beat up by their line of work as the rest of them. She probably was beautiful, Charlie assumed.

"What's this?" Charlie asked.

"Read it," she ordered. "Make it quick." She waved a hand and whistled to something past the barn.

Charlie opened the folder, glancing at the first page. He was beside himself with a mixture of glee and fear. "Never thought I'd see one of these."

The something turned out to be a someone, three someones actually.

"This is Charlie," Bianca introduced. "He'll be your case worker. I'm sure you'll be very happy together," her tone was rather baritone. She turned away from the reservation visitors to the keeper. "When you're done here go get those buckets before one of them melts one again."

Charlie nodded as she walked away. He turned to the three. "Hello there, name's Charlie, been a keeper for years. Your son will be safe here, in fact it's the safest place for him, Mr. Malfoy."

The man looked around the grounds disdainfully.

Draco looked at his mother.

"It's okay, dear," Narcissa assured, rubbing his shoulder, "we'll owl."

"I'd offer a tour," Charlie began, "but this is as far as visitors can go. We start heading into territories right over the hill."

She nodded and hugged her son. "You'll be alright here."

Lucius took her arm. "Come on, Narcissa."

Draco looked at the redhead expectantly and crossed his arms. "Well?"

"Well, I have duties to attend to so…" Charlie turned away from him, swinging his folder at his side. He looked back as he walked up the hill. "Might be wise of you to join me!"

Draco followed him up the hill. "I'm going to get burned or eaten or something!" he argued.

Charlie laughed. "If you're dumb about it you will."

That was less than reassuring. "You said this was the safest place for me!"

"It is. You see any dragon dealers around? When's your birthday?"

"June," Draco was distracted by a dragon flying overhead.

"Don't mind her." Charlie opened the file, reading and walking. "Fernie likes to keep eye on her territory. Her nest is just past those trees," he pointed in a direction.

Draco stepped quicker. "It won't charge us?"

"Fernie? Nah, she's Nana's daughter, gentle as they come, Welsh Greens. That's why she's up front. We wouldn't let a Horn Tail settle in this close the border." Charlie kicked over the buckets, spilling out the water before picking them up. "So we've got some time then. Must be showing if their dropping you off this soon though." Charlie thrust a bucket towards him.

Draco looked at it as though he was being handed an insult. Charlie moved the folder up to hold in his teeth and second bucket into the same hand as the first. He reached over without care of personal violation and grabbed Draco's arm, holding it out so slip the handle onto his wrist. "You don't live here free," Charlie said. "No one does. We work here to be able to sleep here. You play by our rules, got that? Money's no good here." Charlie started down the hill again. Draco followed quietly.

"How do you know who I am? This far out you must be at a loss of what's happening anywhere else."

Charlie walked into the weed covered green house, hanging the buckets and walking towards a fly swarmed bin.

"What is that smell?" Draco demanded.

Charlie opened the bin. "Rotten assorted meat."

"Disgusting!"

"Dinner," Charlie corrected.

Charlie opened his bag, prepared to fill it again. Draco stayed gagging in the corner. "I know a lot about you actually. I have a brother, went to Hogwarts with you. Never mentioned this though."

"No one knows about this but my family," Draco shared offhandedly. "Who's your brother?"

"Oh sorry." Charlie whipped his hand on his pants and held it out. "Charlie Weasley at your service."

Draco gapped at him. "Weasel! He's your brother? I mean- Not weasel-" Draco looked as though he as expecting to be pummeled by a defensive older brother.

Charlie laughed loudly. "He is a little weasel isn't he?" He turned back and closed the bin. "We've got to go feed the Ridgebacks then we can turn in."

"Turn in where?" Draco was forced to keep following him.

"My tent of course," like it was obvious.

"Your tent?"

"Yes, that is what I said," Charlie kept going.

"Don't I get my own?"

"Do you work here?" Charlie asked.

"Well no but-"

"Then you don't have right to sleep here." Charlie looked back with a smile. "Good thing I'm a nice guy though."

Draco snorted and crossed his arms.

Charlie walked them through vast and open fields and over a few hills to a tree line that they kept walking along heading north. "There's a rock face past the lake, a few dragons live in colonies there. We can't really get to them to track them like we'd like but we put out food and catalog them when they come in. About once a month someone will actually climb up and look for abandoned eggs. Not a fun job let me tell you."

"Is that where we're going?" Draco asked fearfully.

"No, I told you, were going to feed the Ridgebacks." Charlie took a sudden right into the trees.

The woods were quiet and dark in the dusk, it was light enough to see yards ahead but it still made Draco uncomfortable.

"Dragons are most active this time of night," Charlie shared. "Around dusk they head out to hunt, and around dawn they come back to nest. Those will be the hardest times of day for you." Charlie weaved through some broken branches and over fallen trees into a clearing that had been made by the dragons, that currently were not home.

Draco was amazed. It looked as though the creatures had actually thought out where to put each tree and limb to create a nest that could shield them from rain and snow and allow them to sun themselves on the coals they had created. It was like the beasts could actually think that intuitively.

Charlie tipped the bag, spilling out the meal before he passed Draco and started heading back through the trees. "So who cursed you?"

"My aunt," Draco answered uncaringly. "She's doing life in Azkaban for it."

Charlie hummed. "Why'd she do it?"

"Got in a fight with mum."

"Oh, perfect excuse to ruin your nephew's life," Charlie breathed sarcastically. "It's getting dark, we should hurry." Charlie jumped over a fallen tree and offered a hand to help the boy behind him. Draco looked positively insulted and marched on with his nose up.

Charlie rolled his eyes. "Tent's this way," he lead them again. This time it was nothing but open field.

"Where is everyone?" Draco asked.

"Oh, there's camps at every territory border. Dragons don't care for fighting if they don't have to. At least the ones out this way. They have their nests and their land but don't really bother protecting it until someone gets too close."

"So we're in the middle of a territory right now?" Draco asked, stopping.

"Yep," Charlie answered easily, he took a few steps then turned back.

"Aren't you worried?"

"Hardly," Charlie scoffed. "Sipherous is one of the oldest residences here, next to Nana. Maybe I'll take you to meet her tomorrow. Judging by the look on your face you think this is all some huge scam, we don't really keep dragons here."

Draco looked at him judgingly.

Charlie laughed. "Come on."

They came upon a single one-man tent in the middle of a desolate looking field. The grass was green enough and the land just on the right slope to get a good breeze in the summer and enough protection in the winter, but it was not the accommodations Draco wanted.

Charlie hung up the feed bag outside on a crutch looking stick stuck into the ground before ducking into the canvas tent.

Draco had no choice but to follow him in.

Thankfully for magic the tent was bigger on the inside that the out. There were compartments rather than rooms though.

The initial step down took Draco by surprise. It was as though the floor was actual board put into the actual ground.

Charlie turned towards a square add-on like space. It was lined with counters and cupboards like and actual kitchen. There was even a window above a sink. Pots and pans hung from here and there, there was no sense of upkeep at all either, or that someone actually cooked there.

Charlie stepped up into the kitchen area and dropped the folder onto the table. "Would you like some tea or something?"

"No thank you," Draco objected politely.

"Mind if I eat something then?"

Draco shook his head quietly.

Charlie looked back at him to see him sitting himself and staring at the folder on the table.

"Do you know how the curse works?" Charlie asked.

"A little," Draco answered.

Charlie hummed and set to making himself dinner. "You'll transform every night starting three days after your eighteenth birthday," he shared.

He took up a pot and ran some water into it before putting it on an unsafe looking stove. "Werewolves get breaks, they transform once a month and are normal the rest of the time. Because this is a curse, you'll change every night."

He moved about and talked in a fluidity that seemed almost natural. "That's the point, to really ruin your life, make you miserable. During the day you'll be a wizard, at night you'll be a dragon. There has been no recording of crossovers between the two states, but mind you only a handful of people have lived with this in the past thousand years."

The water began to boil and Charlie added his packet of freeze dried dinner. He actually preferred the muggle way of doing most things. It was more hands-on, more work really. He liked it better that way.

"What have you felt so far?"

"Trouble sleeping," Draco answered truthfully. "Headaches mostly."

"Anything else?"

"I woke up in a pile of ripped sheets once. Father decided that was when we had to look for a reservation."

"Smart that you did," Charlie commended. "This way if you hurt yourself in form there will be someone who knows how to mend it. Also no dragon dealers or poachers or any of those to worry about here." The redhead leaned against the counter besides the stove. He had an air of positive enjoyment out of this. "Know what kind of dragon you are?"

"No," Draco seemed offended.

Charlie looked at him in a way that made Draco uncomfortable. "Bet you're a Ironbelly."

"Why?"

"You've got the body for it." There was something about his voice that made Draco look away. Charlie fixed his bowl and sat down. "And you know, the eyes."

Charlie looked up from his meal occasionally. Draco tried to ignore him. Then the redhead took to staring, tucking his hand under his chin, contemplating this boy across from him. What a rarity to have this case in his hands. He was smitten with the idea. Human by day, dragon by night. He might be able to learn more about them through this unfortunate cursed wizard.

"Will you stop staring at me like that!" Draco demanded.

Charlie was taken aback but then smirked seeing the faintest of blushes on the Malfoy's cheeks. "Like what?"

"Like you find this attractive or something…" Draco was staring at the approaching night out the window.

Charlie looked at him again. He wasn't not handsome, he supposed, for someone much too young for himself. "Maybe I do," he replied.

Draco crossed his arms. "I can't believe you're weasel's brother."

"Either can I sometimes," Charlie said humorously. He stood to put his bowl in the sink. "My whole family is bonkers. When I first moved out here I got owls four times a day from Mum. She's a little… overbearing, is the nice word for it." Charlie sat back down. "Every time I see her she tells me I need to find a girl. Thing is, I don't really care much for girls." Not that he cared for blokes either, but it was fun to tease. A mean Weasley streak that came with all the brothers, except Percy.

Draco gapped at him like he had been entrusted by a complete stranger with a huge secret, which for all he knew he might of, also he was distantly of the not girl persuasion.

"Well," Charlie looked at the window like nothing was amiss. "Time to turn in."

"Where?" Draco demanded quickly.

Charlie pointed past the blond. Draco turned in his chair to see over his shoulder to where the floor rose up again after the entrance drop. He could see what looked like the corner of a cushion for a mattress laying on the wooden boards, blankets strewn about in what looked like a nest in itself. Tent walls surrounded it on the three sides making the only way into it to climb in at the foot.

"You're mental!" Draco accused. "I'm not sleeping with you!"

"Who said with me?" Charlie asked. "I'll be outside if you need me. I haven't used that bed in days." He stood and walked out, calling back, "good night."


	2. The Nature of the Beast

Chapter 2- The Nature of the Beast

Charlie sighed stepping into his homestead. He had just finished his morning round of duties. Time for some lunch and then tackling the evening chores.

He hadn't bothered to wake Draco. He figured the boy had a rough enough time coping with his situation, he didn't need early mornings to make it worse. So Charlie wasn't surprised when the boy was still in bed. He probably had a nice, easy, cushiony, go of things in the Malfoy manor.

"Draco," Charlie said shortly. "Draco, wake up, it's nearly noon."

The blond cringed and rolled over covering his face with a pillow.

"Okay, feel sorry for yourself." Charlie shrugged and walked towards the kitchen. "Out here you are the only one that will."

Draco huffed and threw off the covers. "I didn't ask for this!" He stood and marched across the floor. "I got cursed for a fight I wasn't a part of and now I have to spend every night as some stupid dragon in this hell hole!"

Charlie nodded uncaringly and continued cooking.

"I have to put up with you and live here and- I want to go home!"

"Want some lunch?" Charlie asked as though Draco had said nothing.

"No I don't want your bloody muggle food! I want-"

"To go home," Charlie finished. "I heard." He sat down with his plate. "But what will you do when you get there? Make a basement you can transform in? Have mummy and daddy guard your door? You can hurt people, you can hurt yourself, and you'd fetch a hefty sum on the market." Charlie finished there and started eating.

"I hate this place," Draco sneered.

Charlie understood. Yesterday the boy had been in shock. Today he showed his true colors, and from what Charlie gathered they were nasty shades of spite and jealousy.

Ron had told stories about his school enemy. Charlie had just hoped they had merely been his brother being an idiot. Maybe Draco was as bad a picture as what his brother had painted him to be.

"Sleep well?" Charlie asked.

Draco glared at him.

"Loo's over there," Charlie waved his fork to a curtained doorway. "I'll leave the food out for you if you get hungry." He finished his forkful and put his plate in the sink. "I'll be back around nightfall." Charlie walked back out of his tent leaving the teen by himself again.

When Charlie came back again Draco complained about having nothing to do all day, not even a book to read. Charlie only had his dragon studies books and he hadn't touched those since he started engaging in field work.

There wasn't much conversation that night. Charlie ate his dinner and went back outside to sleep.

Draco was awoken the next day more violently than the first.

"Fuck!" There was the sound of pots or pans clambering about. Charlie hissed loudly and cursed again.

Draco shot up in the nest of covers. He looked across the tent at the redhead bracing the counter and holding his leg, blood running down it in a serious looking stream.

"You're bleeding!" Draco was up instantly.

"Thank you, I hadn't noticed!" Charlie barked.

Draco ran towards him. "What happened?"

Charlie hobbled to the sink, using chairs and counter tops. "Horntail caught me. Fuck it's deep!" Charlie balanced on one leg and ran a cloth under water and then hopped over to the edge of his bed.

"Shouldn't we get a mediwitch?"

Charlie gave a look that implied Draco should rethink the last statement. He hissed and put the cloth to the back of his stretched leg. "I need the salve out of the cupboard. I couldn't get to it."

Draco nodded and hastily went to get it.

"There on the left. Second shelf."

Draco came back holding a jar. "This one?"

Charlie nodded. "Yeah." He dropped the bloody rag onto the floor and moved to take off his jeans. Draco turned away from him. "Oh be mature would you? I'm bleeding here!" Charlie reprimanded. He leaned forward and grabbed Draco's arm. "Hold this." He picked up the rag and put it in Draco's hand so he could wiggle the rest of the way out of his pants. He unscrewed the lid and dipped the rag into the paste looking substance.

Charlie reached down behind his knee. He hissed and turned his head to the side with a quiet, "damn…"

"This happen often?" Draco asked, given his reaction.

"More than I'd like," Charlie flopped back onto the bed.

Draco was then more aware of the scars of burns and cuts on the other man's body. His arms marred and side of his neck had been burnt at some point.

"Occupational hazard." The redhead laughed a little. "Sorry to interrupted you."

Draco shrugged.

"You need your sleep. Is it coming any easier?"

Draco nodded lightly.

Charlie offered a weak smile before pointing to the kitchen. "Can you fetch me my wand?"

Draco went to get it.

Charlie cast a patronus and sent it off to let Bianca know he couldn't work for the next two days. She would know he was injured. He had been working with three other keepers trying to move the Hortail further into the reservation, she'd moved up a little too close to the hen coops and egg barn for their likings.

After Charlie got sideswiped by a barb he left in a hurry. The others would report it.

Draco looked down at the man lying on his stomach, clad only in blue stripped boxers and a dirty shirt. He briefly wondered about the sleeping arrangements for that evening. He looked at the blood running down Charlie's leg into his sock.

Draco turned away and went towards the kitchen.

"Afraid of a little blood!" Charlie teased.

"No," Draco corrected royally, while coming back. "I saw enough of it during the war…"

Charlie propped himself up on his elbows and turned to look back at him. "Twice cursed," he said sadly. "If he would of won- Can't imagine what he'd of done with you."

"Tortured me surely," Draco replied. He held in his hand a clean washcloth, he started wiping away the blood on Charlie's calf and ankle. "Twice cursed, how could he resist? A child he can beat, a dragon he can starve."

Charlie hummed. "Thanks," he nodded to change the subject. Maybe his brother had mislead them about Draco's true nature. "Or do you not want blood on your bed?"

"Is it my bed?"

"Of course, you've got enough on your mind, and it will be mine again three days after your birthday," Charlie smirked at him.

"Where will I be… transforming?"

"Where we keep the quarantined dragons, a field to the far west. Quite a walk. Pack clothes for the morning. Hate your pale ass to get a burn." Charlie chuckled.

Draco paused.

Charlie looked back to see if he had insulted him.

Draco was looking off towards the other room.

Charlie put his face back in his pillow.

Draco went back to work. "You're not like your brother…"

"Ron? No, guess not. He's a real sourpuss, just like Bill. Though not as much as Percy…"

Draco laughed a little. "Which one's Bill?"

"Oldest, half werewolf now, married this fine French girl, you might know her, she was in the Triwizard Cup."

Draco nodded recalling her. "She was fine, for a French girl."

Charlie roared with a loud laugh. It was a sound Draco had heard the day before. It wasn't an altogether bad sound. "English snob," the insult was playful.

"Romanian hobo."

"Ain't that the truth," Charlie laughed again. He reached back to adjust the rag soaking the salve into the cut.

"So how'd this happen?" Draco asked, while walking away to rinse out the washcloth.

"Team and I were moving a Horntail, he decided he didn't want to move."

"You never properly start a sentence either," Draco noted.

"Snob," Charlie sang. He waited for the blond to come back to talk again. "When you're used to shouting out commands like: look out, duck, fire, or move your bloody arse, normal sentence structure seems pointless."

Draco rolled his eyes. "I rue the day I get used to living here."

"You'll rue the day you eat something," Charlie said sarcastically. "You're skin and bones, going to make transformations harder."

"I like the way I look, thank you," Draco retorted.

"Right you should," Charlie said smoothly.

Draco was quiet. Why was Charlie so damn confusing? For a man who admitted he didn't like girls he said one was attractive, and then continues to hit on him as well. Maybe he really is just teasing, trying to embarrass him. He looked at Charlie's leg, the bleeding had stopped. "Where do I find bandages?" His voice was monotone.

"Bathroom," Charlie answered.

Draco went to go find them. When he came back Charlie was back on the edge of the bed so that he could wrap it more easily. Draco watched a short while. "Do you want me to make lunch?"

"Could you?"

Draco walked off.

Charlie watched the younger man storm about the kitchen. "Something wrong?" He called.

Of course there was. Draco didn't reply.

Charlie shrugged and slid the pillows under his ankle to elevate it and make the throbbing stop.

Sometime after Draco had worked out whatever was wrong they were sitting on the bed, Charlie's leg propped up on folded blankets, playing exploding snaps. Charlie was letting him win a fair share of the rounds. It made Draco happy.

He laughed at the blond's story and with a sleepy sigh fell into his pillow.

Draco looked down at him, collecting the cards. "And then your brother- Are you tired?"

Charlie nodded with his eyes closed.

"Oh," Draco said quietly. He kept moving the cards around in his hand.

Charlie opened his eyes. "They'll explode in your hand, keep doing that."

Draco set them down quickly.

The bed was big enough to fit two people and be comfortable, certainly. It was just awkward. He looked at his way out, he'd have to climb over Charlie and off the bed.

"Just lay down," Charlie pulled his arm. "I've slept with men before, you won't even wrinkle the sheets."

Was that a compliment or an insult? Draco wondered. "I'll just put up the cards." He picked them up and looked carefully at the redhead, whose eyes were closed again. Maybe he had fallen asleep. He had been quiet for a few minutes, which was something for Charlie. Maybe he could sneak over him and out of the bed quietly.

Draco put the deck of cards in his hand and moved over carefully. He put one arm across Charlie's broad chest and then put his leg over with a cringe. He hated this. He looked down at the man he was straddling, hoping to Merlin he was asleep. If not this would be one very embarrassing-

"Sure are taking your time," Charlie's smug voice came through a smirk.

Draco climbed off him like there was a fire. "I was- I didn't want to- I thought you were sleeping!"

Charlie chuckled. "You're too cute."

"Enough of that!" Draco had had it with this nonsense. "No more of- Stop flirting with me!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Charlie sat up quickly. "Who said I was flirting with you?"

"Oh please," Draco scoffed. "The way you look at me and say these things."

"Draco, I'm not."

"Sure." He rolled his eyes and went to go put up the cards from the cupboard. A few decks of cards and games George had undoubtedly given him from the shop, sitting on a shelf above an old wimbley broom propped against the wall.

Draco closed the door and looked over to see Charlie smirking at him. "What?" He demanded.

Charlie shook his head. "Nothing." He moved over and adjusted the blankets under his leg. "Night."

"Good night," Draco said quietly, taking Charlie's old spot. It was warm and smelt like him. Not that Draco had taken notice to the way the Weasley smelt.

Charlie slept on his back and barely moved at all during the night. It was slightly disturbing. It was like he had trained himself from many cuts and scrapes, brushes with dragons. Charlie himself seemed to vibrant a personality to sleep in such a stiff position.

Draco woke when the sun became too annoying to block out by the blankets.

"Morning," Charlie said from beside him in the bed.

Draco was very much awake then. "Good morning."

"Do you mind, gotta use the loo," Charlie motioned for him to move.

"Oh sorry," Draco untangled himself from the covers and stood up.

Charlie moved over and shifted forward he struggled a little, cringing and hopping up finally.

"Do you need help?" Draco asked.

Charlie had one hand braced on the wood plank that looked to be holding up the roof of the tent, though magic was doing that. He looked at the blond a little surprised. Ron was wrong. He held out the other arm for Draco to take.

Charlie was not a man of pride, though he was proud. They are two different things in his mind. A man of pride does not accept help, would rather fall alone then admit needing someone to lean on. Charlie Weasley was proud, of many things in fact; proud of being a Gryffindor, of being the son of Molly and Arthur, of being an older brother, of being a younger brother, of being a dragon keeper, of surviving on his own, of his flying skills, and his magic, but none of these were greater than the other, not one thing defined him, and that is what he was most proud of.

Draco supported him to the curtains, where Charlie assured him he could handle the rest. Draco laughed awkwardly and went to go find breakfast.

Charlie came out swinging his arms and jumping on one leg with such grace that suggested he had had to do it several times before.

"Do you get hurt a lot?" Draco asked curiously after the Weasley had fallen into a chair at the table.

"More than I'd like," Charlie shrugged. "See this?" He pointed to a scar on his arm. It was long and white on his tanned skin. "Short-Snout, nasty little thing he was. Most of these come from the kids though." He turned his arms over looking at all the little scars and scratches. "They play rough and don't know their own strength. Nothing worth getting upset over."

"Have you ever been seriously hurt?"

Charlie touched his chest through his plain white night shirt. He seemed to be thinking. "Yeah." He looked up again nodding. "Not by one of these dragons… By a wild one. We went out to get him, he'd been terrorizing muggles. He didn't want to come easily." He frowned, which looked odd on his face. "Had no choice but to…"

"He cut you up and you're sad you had to kill it?" Draco asked skeptically.

"I'm a dragon keeper. It's my job to keep them safe. If he would have joined the reservation he'd of had lots of territory and food and lived out a good life. Instead all he knew was hiding, sneaking around, and humans invading what little land he had. I'm alright being cut up by dragons, Draco. I wouldn't be a good keeper without some scars."

"You're bonkers," Draco argued.

"You're one of them," Charlie shot back.

"I'm not eighteen yet," Draco retorted. He set down some scrambled eggs he had spelled up.

"Thanks," Charlie accepted them. "So you were telling me a story about my brother?"

"Oh," Draco recalled last night as well. "Yeah, he was using this awful broken wand and the spell rebounded."

"Ron's not that dumb," Charlie argued.

Draco shook his head. "It's true."

"He never told us that story." Charlie laughed. "He did tell us how you were turned into a ferret."

Draco crossed his arms looked away.

"Oh, don't pout," Charlie scolded lightly. "If that had been the real Moody it would have been worse."

Draco sighed. "So where is your brother now?"

"Living at home, him and Hermione hit a row last I knew. He's working in George's shop. Kingsley took in Harry, training him in the Auror office. Not sure what Hermione's doing, reading I imagine."

Draco snorted. "Know it all."

"She is. One of the first times we met she thought she had to tell me about dragons," Charlie shared. "She's nice enough though. I think she's good for Ron."

Draco looked off. "I'll never get something like that."

"Oh, don't say that," Charlie reprimanded gently.

"Twice cursed," Draco reminded.

"So you've had an unfortunate go at it but no one is without baggage," Charlie argued.

"Yeah, what's yours then?" Draco asked spitefully.

Charlie thought a little then laughed. "Take your pick really. My mum, my brothers, my scars, my job, my tent, my love of dragons, I'm sure there's more." Charlie smiled. "Thanks for breakfast."

Draco picked up their plates. "I'm going to shower, unless you want to first."

Charlie shook his head. "I'll rewrap this."

Draco nodded and retrieved his shrunken trunk to get his clothes for today.

The Malfoy had learned that it was extremely boring in that tent all day, noting to do at all. Now Charlie was there and offered some nice enough conversation at least.

"Do you have the mark then?" Charlie asked. "Just curious."

Draco nodded. "Unfortunately."

"So, how'd you avoid Azkaban?"

"We were never very spirited supporters," Draco shared, "Towards the end of the war weren't even supporting at all. He ruined our lives, our house, threatened my father, tried to have me killed, destroyed everything. If he had won, we would have died."

Charlie nodded. "It can't be easy though. Living with that." He looked to Draco's arm.

"It's faded some. They aren't as dark as they used to be."

Charlie smiled a little. "You know Iornbellies are the largest of known dragon species. Powerful things. If that is what you are, and I'd put money on it, you'd have run of this place."

Draco rolled his eyes but smiled nonetheless.

"There're only two others on the reservation, a mated pair, Petro and Nakita. We can go up there sometime if you'd like. Once my leg heals, which should be just another day or so."

"And introduce me to actual dragons?" Draco asked.

"Well yeah," Charlie said.

Draco shook his head. "No thanks."

"Oh they aren't that bad. Well, Petro's a little overprotective of their nest but it's understandable."

"I'd rather not."

"You should meet some dragons, Draco, you are going to be one. Werewolves live in packs, it's not uncommon to get to know you're other side."

Draco sighed. "Fine. That nice old one you talked about the other day."

"Nana?"

"Yes, okay?"

"All first dragon keepers start out with her."

"Wonderful."

"She actually likes humans. Used to be in a show at one point in her life, educating wizards, treated her well."

"You talk like you know every single one of them personally," Draco commented. "Like they told you their stories."

"Some of them, you can look in their eyes and see how their feeling. After years of studying there still is no exact science to it, you just have to trust them and understand what they've been through."

"You're mental. Trust a dragon? They'd eat you as soon as you turn your back."

Charlie shook his head. They could keep arguing but Draco was set and stubborn, he'd learned that much. "I'll take you to meet Nana. Maybe she can change your mind."

It took magic and medicine to get Charlie's leg healed. Draco had gotten used to sleeping in the same bed with the other man, not that he'd admit it. Charlie was a quiet sleeper, far on the other side of the bed. So he stopped sleeping outside, it was getting a little too hot out any way.

Draco followed Charlie through the field. "Nana is usually out for training sessions this time of day."

"So they'll let me see her?'

"Yeah," Charlie said. "Her handler is Bianca, I can get nearly anything from her." He looked back with a wink. "Especially after a few rounds of Fire Whiskey."

Draco could care less about this woman and her liquor capacities. He was curious about the situation it occurred in. Did these keepers get together for drunken parties on occasion? What happened when the sun went down on the reservation?

The group of hopeful dragonologists were directed on to the hatchery as the two approached. "Hey, Bianca!" Charlie waved and stepped a little faster. "Before you turn out Nana, can I barrow her a second?"

She looked at him skeptically. "Why?"

Draco looked at the dragon laying boredly in the grass. She seemed completely indifferent to everything. Even her handlers talking about her, right in earshot.

"Come on," Charlie insisted. "I'll be your bitch for a week, whatever you want."

"You're always my bitch," she crossed her arms.

Charlie smirked at her.

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Fine, turn her out when you're done." Bianca turned to head into the hatchery.

Nana opened her eyes lazily, breathing in the breeze. She was an old looking dragon. She had a few scars where scales hadn't grown back. Draco tried to keep his distance, dragons were still stupid and violent creatures.

She opened her eyes in a sudden surprise; she turned sharply and started to stand. Charlie looked to see what had gotten her moving. He saw Draco walking up the hill, upwind.

Nana made a gruff sound deep in her throat. Charlie moved towards the blond quickly, but the power in the old dragon's legs bested his speed. She lunged with a growl and barring what teeth she had left.

Draco fell back throwing his arm up. She roared loudly, warm breath spilling out over him, warning him of the fire to come next.

"NANA!" Charlie threw himself in front of her. Draco lowered his arm to see the redhead standing tall with his arms up in a challenging stance towards the fierce dragon. "Down!" he ordered her confidently. "Down!" He repeated himself a few times, lunging at her like he was the stronger one. Charlie looked over his shoulder quickly, "Draco, run back to the tent!"

He didn't have to be told twice. Draco scrambled to his feet, turning away and running. Dragons really were horrible beasts, he had proof now, and he was surrounded by them. He couldn't run fast enough, he only slowed down once he saw the tent, he was nearly out of breath.

Charlie had managed to catch up. Once Draco was gone Nana went back to her usual tired self and walked away with a mighty huff.

Charlie stepped into the tent after the blond, slightly more winded. "Draco, I'm sorry but-"

"That thing was going to fry me!" Draco turned sharply, "and I did nothing to it!"

"You smell." He coughed and caught his breath. "I'm sorry I didn't think of it before. She's intimidated by you."

"ME?" Draco demanded. "I'm not even six feet tall and I'm supposed to believe I intimidate a bloody dragon!"

"You're smell. Dragons' brains are eighty-percent smell, if it smells like a dragon but doesn't look like a dragon it's a dragon," he tried to explain. "All this means is that you're not a Welsh Green." He smiled.

"Fuck you!" Draco turned away again towards the kitchen but came back. "There's nowhere to go in this place!"

"Draco, look, I'm sorry, maybe tomorrow we can go see the Ironbellies and-"

"No! I'm not going to see anymore bloody dragons. I'm staying here. I'm not leaving this tent."

Charlie nodded in understanding though he wasn't happy about it. He'd seen his fair share of temper tantrums; he did have a few years of babysitting under his belt. Percy was always the worst, and he being only a few years younger left the problem to Bill or Molly. Charlie was there for the twins, and Ron, and Ginny, though.

"Alright fine, but I'm going back to work tomorrow." Charlie walked past him and sat down at the table to take off his boots.

Draco huffed and sat down on the bed with his arms crossed.

"You want dinner or…?"

Draco was quiet.

Charlie sighed and stood up. Draco stayed on the bed, glaring at the wall. He listened to Charlie move pots and pans, the click of the stove and the redheads, muttering about three cups or two.

He hated this place. He wanted to go home. Draco had been told about the curse ever since he could remember. It was given to him as a baby. His aunt thought it'd be ironic, given his name. Out of all the things she could curse him with, this was the worst. Every night he'd be a fire-breathing beast.

None of this was his fault, he shouldn't be punished.

His mother gave him everything he wanted, feeling guilty for his plight; and his father was cold and distant knowing his son wouldn't uphold the Malfoy name.

Then this Weasley had to be his handler. Such ghastly red hair and deplorable manors, but Draco was stuck with him.

The worst part about all this: he didn't mind. He didn't mind an excuse to leave home, that place was covered in horrible memories after the war. He didn't mind becoming a stupid dragon, he'd have more strength and power than a wizard. He was even alright with his keeper. Charlie was bright, he knew all about dragons and their habits, he was kind, and patient; right at the moment making dinner while he brooded, and he was understanding, albeit confusing, but he was alright company when there was no one else to choose from.

Sometime later Charlie came down and stood at the bottom of the bed. "I made food."

Draco looked up at him.

"Thought you'd like some. If not I can always eat alone. I'm used to that too." He turned back to go fix himself a plate and sit at the table.

Draco sighed and stood up. Charlie didn't say anything when the blond sat across from him, acknowledged him with a short stare but kept eating.

The rest of the evening was silent and Charlie went to sleep outside.


	3. Petro and Nakita

Chapter 3- Petro and Nakita

Draco was bored. Charlie had left for work and the tent was empty. He tried to sleep in as late as he could to make the day shorter but his bladder didn't allow that. So now he was stuck, awake, and alone. Boring place, this Romania.

Charlie wouldn't be back until noon and it was still early in the morning.

There was dragonology books as dry as their bindings, not worth the effort to read. So what does a young Malfoy do to satisfy the need to do something, he goes snooping.

Draco walked through the kitchen opening cupboards, one by one. Mostly they were bare, dusty, hardly used. Charlie was a simple man, nothing showy about this place, or even properly cleaned.

Draco sighed and stooped down to the pantry below the sink to find a rag. At least it would occupy his time, and give an excuse were he caught looking where he shouldn't.

He had never really cleaned before, with the exception of scrubbing caldrons in detention or dusting the trophies. His family had house elves and even after their liberation because of that stupid Granger their loyalty to the Malfoys kept them cleaning.

His struggles allowed time to pass faster, fortunately. He could have done this using magic but that would leave him alone and bored again with noting to occupy his time. So the muggle was the best way in this case, he did cheat a little though. A particular stain was too annoying to leave there.

Draco reached up to open a cupboard to find Fire Whiskey and shot glasses. It was surprising and a little intriguing. Charlie struck him as a work until he's dead kind of man, dedicated to his job, but he did have that streak of wild to work with dragons.

Draco closed the cupboard and went to go make the bed. It was a little tricky, how it was tucked into the tent like it was. So he did use magic for this chore.

In the short hall to the curtained bathroom was a stout plain dresser. His trunk had taken up residence beside it. Draco decided to go back to his original activities, snooping. He set down his rag and wand and looked to the tent door, moving in the soft breeze.

With a vast amount of curiosity he pulled open the top drawer. People hid things in dressers, he wanted to know what Charlie Weasley was hiding. He rifled through the artless a little disappointed not to find a magazine or any kind of paraphernalia. Then his hand brushed something. It was cold and plastic and he didn't get a chance to see it for at that moment the man came into the tent and Draco jumped back.

"If you wanted to look at my underwear all you had to do was ask," Charlie joked. He walked over and shut the drawer in front of the blond.

He shook his head and laughed at the surprised and horrified, maybe even embarrassed, look on the blond's face as he went to get lunch. "Did you clean in here?"

Draco stuttered out of his shock and followed the redhead. "Yes, it was positively filthy."

"Oh, positively?" Charlie asked amused.

Draco crossed his arms. He didn't like being mocked.

Charlie laughed lightly and sucked the sauce he had gotten on his hand off his thumb. "So you're feeling better then?"

Draco sighed and dropped his arms. He sat down at the table. "I'm sorry. Yesterday was-"

Charlie sat down across from him while lunch stayed on the stove. "Don't worry about it. I'm used to dealing with kids, I am the second oldest."

"Are you saying I was being childish?" Draco asked.

"Well, yeah, you're a child," Charlie reasoned lightly, rolling out of his chair and back to the stove.

Draco stared at the back of his head, confused.

Charlie turned back, taking the silence as a foreboding sign. "Something wrong?"

"You think I'm a child?"

"Well, aren't you one?"

"I haven't thought myself a child since…"

"I hate when people say war made them a man. It doesn't make men, it kills them, and it doesn't give them a life, make them adults, in fact children can fight wars, this time around it was children that fought. So you are a child, I agree you've seen things, and have been a part of things, beyond your years, but that doesn't make you any less of a child."

"So how do I become a man then?" Draco wanted to give Charlie a taste of his own confusing, mixed messaged medicine.

Charlie looked back with a smirk. "That's a story for a later time, mate."

Amazing, this man was unshameable. "Try me," Draco didn't want to let this go.

Charlie paused looking over the pot. "It depends I guess." His voice was serious now. "Each person is different."

"How about you then?" Draco asked. "When did you _become a man_?" It'd be good to see a Weasley squirm again. He was feeling nostalgic.

Charlie coughed. Maybe the man wasn't impermeable. He moved down the counter and reached up to get some plates. "Are you really looking for some brotherly advice or you just trying to fool with me?"

"I'm actually curious," Draco answered. He actually was. There wasn't much he knew about Charlie and for some reason he wanted confirmation about his sexuality, was it one way or the other?

"Alright then, I'd say it was when I moved out." Charlie served their plates and sat down.

That was not the answer Draco was looking for. "When you moved out?" He asked skeptically.

"Yeah, I left behind my parent's house and my siblings and moved here, far away from them. I had to learn how to live on my own, it was a big deal," Charlie explained.

"Oh," Draco was a little disappointed, not that he could really say why. He'd just have to find another way to get this information. "So you've been on your own for what, five years?" He decided to guess his age.

"A little more than that," Charlie answered. "Nine maybe."

That would make him twenty-six, twenty-five, depending on where his birthday falls. Draco didn't think there was that much of an age difference. Charlie did look older, weather-beaten by his work and the environment of his life. He looked like a young man made old, not simply old.

"Why did you even come out here?" Draco asked.

"I love dragons," Charlie said easily.

"Why?" Draco asked skeptically. Dragons were still big and dumb.

"It's hard to explain, really," Charlie started. "They're a mystery even with all the research and what we've done. They have all this power and amazing strength, and beauty, and grace." He was speaking like a true fanatic. He sighed like a man in love. "They're incredible."

Draco tried hard not to laugh. "Okay."

"Okay?" Charlie asked.

"Take me to see the Ironbellies," Draco said simply.

"You're sure?"

"If they kill me though I'm going to haunt the hell out of this wretched tent."

Charlie looked around thoughtfully. "It could use some spirit."

Draco laughed, a nice humored laugh. It was polite and groomed but still honest. It was happy and soft, sweet in a way.

Draco found himself being stared at. He stopped smiling. "What?"

Charlie shook his head and moved his fork through his food on his plate. "Nothing. I'll take you after dinner tonight, okay?"

Draco nodded. "Sure."

"Alright," Charlie concluded, standing and rinsing his plate. "I'm going back out." He pointed at Draco as he passed. "Stay out of my underwear drawer."

Draco crossed his arms and looked away to hide his blush.

Charlie chuckled and walked out.

Draco stood to clean up their plates, might as well, he had nothing to do.

Charlie looked over the gaping wound of the sedated ridgeback. "He tore it on a tree you said?"

The other keeper was cataloging on a clipboard. "That's what I was told."

"No… smarter than that," Charlie argued. He walked the length of the beast. "Looks like we had a poacher sneak in last night."

"What?" He looked up from his work. "What makes you think that?"

"Clean cut. Probably from a harpoon or a spell. They were aiming for the wing. Where's Maurice?"

"On his way."

"I'm going to head out to where he came down, see if I can find anything. If he doesn't show in ten minutes, dress this yourself," Charlie instructed.

Draco pulled a book off the shelf and dropped onto the bed. It was a boring read but still something to do. He leafed through the pages looking more at the ink drawings than the words.

Charlie walked through the line of down trees, broken limbs and branches leading to the disturbed earth where the dragon had landed.

Draco groaned and spread out onto the bed, book falling by his side.

Charlie circled this way and that looking for what he knew he'd find.

Draco looked up at the tent ceiling. Charlie was twenty-five, he decided to go with the lesser variable. Twenty-five…

It was hard to see, easily mistaken for a branch in the fading sunlight. The broken stem easily disguised in the wreckage, but sure enough there on the end a large metal blade. He sighed and picked it up. How was he supposed to promise Draco safety with poachers sneaking onto the reservation?

Draco couldn't believe that Charlie was related to that stupid weasel.

Charlie started out of the woods towards where they were keeping the wounded dragon. This had only happened once before since he's been there. The first time was actually one of the workers, down on his luck, thieving shed scales to potion makers. Nothing like this has happened before.

Draco jumped onto his feet. He needed to move to do something.

"Found this by the crash site." Charlie handed it to his supervisor.

She groaned. "Are you fucking me with this?"

Charlie shook his head. It was not a time for a joke. "What's the code?"

"Everyone on duty for the next twenty-four hours, stationed everywhere in the reservation," Bianca answered.

Charlie sighed. "What about Draco?"

"What about Draco?"

"I'm just worried is all. A poacher catches wind of him and-"

She rolled her eyes. "Go back to your tent. I'll have you start at dawn in the east corner." She turned away from him and started talking to the other keepers.

Charlie walked into the tent to find it empty. "Draco?" There was no answer. He started to panic. "Draco?" He walked back out and stood there looking for the blond and finding no one. "Draco!"

"Jeez, who's knotted your nickers?" Draco asked callously walking around the back of the tent with a stick in his hand.

Charlie watched him walk by and go into the tent before following him. "What were you doing?"

"I went for a walk," Draco replied. He put the stick on the table.

"What is that?"

"I found it. Look there's like lines in it."

"That's from bugs," Charlie said like it was obvious.

"Really? It looks way too organized." Draco examined it again.

"Have you never walked through the woods?"

"Of course I have." Draco answered indignantly.

"Sure," Charlie rolled his eyes.

"I have, I just never did it as a recreation thing. I never really looked." Draco shrugged and went to throw the stick back outside.

Charlie grabbed it from him. "Now hold on. This stick commemorates the moment Draco Malfoy opened his pretty gray eyes and saw the world. I think it needs a special spot."

"You think my eyes are pretty?" Draco asked, blinking incessantly.

Charlie laughed. "Prettiest I've ever seen."

Draco shook his head. "So what are you doing back so soon?"

"Bianca wants me to start at dawn tomorrow."

"Oh." Draco watched Charlie prop the stick against one of the walls.

"There, new home for it." He turned back. "We can still go and see the Ironbellies if you'd like."

Draco thought a moment. About ten minutes ago he would of jumped at the chance to get out of the tent, for whatever reason, but now Charlie was back and already boredom had no threat of returning. On the other hand he had said he would, but who was Draco Malfoy to ever keep his word? Why start now?

"Sure," Draco agreed. He had told Charlie he would.

"Good," Charlie smiled, "gab a jacket or something."

Draco had no muggle clothes, but he was the owner of one extravagant dark green cloak given to him before he left. They called it an early birthday present.

Charlie lead them into a path in the woods. It was dark and breezy out but a nice night overall. Charlie used _lumos _on his wand to make enough light for Draco to follow. It wasn't truly dark yet but in the woods there was only enough light to see your own hands.

"Stay quiet," Charlie whispered. "We're almost to the rock face."

Draco just looked down to see if he could watch his step more easily. Twigs breaking under his feet were not quiet.

Charlie ducked low, Draco followed lead. "They'll be up and alert, keep calm."

Draco started to panic.

"Stay small."

He wanted to curl into a ball, walk on his knees.

"Shh."

They had reached a clearing, much like when Charlie had taken him to feed the other dragons. There was a cliff wall bordering the opposite side of the woods. They had created this clearing; their nest was up in a cave, so they could look down on intruders.

He could barely make out their bodies in the dim light. White shapes sat on a ledge above them.

"_Nox_."

It was completely dark now.

"If Petro approaches first, run."

Draco spun back. "What?"

The wind changed as wings flapped and then there was a heavy thud that shook the ground. Draco nearly fell. "Charlie?" He called frightfully. He looked for the redhead but could find him.

There was a puff of breath against the blond, knocking him down. The dragon came closer, smelling the air.

Draco cringed as a nose touched him. It took up the whole length of him. It could press harder and squish him like a gnat if it wanted to.

It breathed in his curious scent, moving Draco's cloak with each breath. It made a sound deep in its throat and moved away.

Draco grabbed for his wand.

It took a few steps. Draco readied for an attack.

It drooped down suddenly. Falling, with and ungraceful flop onto the ground.

"What?"

The large face nudged his side, making that cooing sound, encouraging him up.

"What the bloody-"

Charlie's roaring laugh could be heard from somewhere nearby. "You're an adolescent! She wants to foster you!"

Draco stood and straightened his robe indignantly. "Stupid bloody dragon. I am not a-"

Nakita lifted her head to his shoulder, breathing softly against his hair and then embracing him with her neck.

Draco sighed and walked out of her smothering grasp. She called for him to come back but he followed the sound of Charlie's laughter. "I hate you." He walked back into the tree line.

Charlie followed him. "Oh come on, that was cute."

"It was not," he argued. "I thought she was going to eat me."

"Only male dragons have the tendency to kill children, never heard of a female even trying."

Draco shook his head and lit his wand. "You knew she'd do that to me," he accused.

"No idea, just an inkling."

"I hate you," Draco repeated.

Charlie stepped over a fallen limb and walked faster to catch up beside the blond. "You don't hate me."

Draco looked at him, saw his stupid grin and his Weasley blue eyes, his freckles, his hair grown out and dropping in front of his face. He didn't hate him. Draco knew hatred and this wasn't it. This wasn't right. "You need a haircut," he said finally before marching on.

Walking back into the tent Charlie's shoes found themselves without a master anymore. He sighed and fell onto the bed gratefully. "So, you're an Ironbelly."

"Guess so." Draco pulled off his cloak. "Bloody dragon got me muddy."

Charlie chuckled. He shifted on the bed and pulled his wand, casting a spell in Draco's direction. The cloak flew out of his hands and whirled around, flinging mud this way and that.

"Hey!" Draco exclaimed. The cloak went on to the laundry while he whipped his face. "Prick!" He flung the dirt towards the man on the bed.

Charlie sat up sharply, looking down at the spot on his shirt.

Draco laughed at the look of surprise on Charlie's face.

"I'll have you know," Charlie moved forward, "I am one of a clan of Weasley boys. You want to play this game?"

Draco smirked. "You've never played with a Malfoy."

"Right you are!" Charlie lunged forward to grab him around the middle, forcing them to the ground with a surprised umf on Draco's part. Charlie Weasley was the reigning champ of Weasley brother wrestling matches. He'd even bested Bill once.

Draco had clearly never wrestled much or even before maybe.

"Say mercy!" Charlie held him down.

Draco squirmed and moved his arms and legs trying to get free. He laughed with the sheer ridiculousness of it.

Charlie was grinning over him, moving this way and that, keeping the blond to the floor.

He got his arm free a few times managed a few hits, hard enough to welt, not enough to bruise. Good fun.

Charlie snatched his wrists and held them good and tight. Draco's wriggling would leave burn marks but it didn't matter right then. He held them above his head and planted his knees. "Say mercy."

Draco still struggled, laughter dying slowly. He fell back, relaxing after his fighting, giving up. He looked up at the redhead. "Mercy."

His voice, there was something about it. It was soft, sweet, not demanding, not begging either. It was… almost sensual. Charlie stared down at him. What was this? What was he doing? He got up quickly. "I need to get to bed."

"Oh." Draco pushed himself up and pushed himself off. "I'm going to make myself some dinner if that's okay."

"Yeah sure." Charlie waved off and walked out of the tent. He went out a short ways and sat down on the grass. This was wrong.


	4. Fire Whiskey

Chapter 4- Fire Whiskey

Draco was startled by a crack of thunder. He jumped up in bed. He sighed and climbed out. Rain was falling onto the tent, the wind swaying it like it was just as it appeared, canvas and sticks.

Draco stepped up into the kitchen. He had gotten used to his routine. Breakfast, shower, be bored out of his mind, lunch, boredom, dinner, bed.

He heard a sound not from the storm and turned to see Charlie walking in. "It's raining," he said sourly.

Draco looked at him and tried not to laugh. "I see."

Charlie shook his head like a dog. He drug his hand down his face to wipe off the water. He sighed and peeled off the shirt sticking to his skin.

Draco turned back quickly. Charlie Weasley was not an unattractive man. Draco had never seen him undress, with the exception of the time his leg received that gash. He had never seen his chest, never seen any skin, wet, sticky, tan…

Charlie watched the blond stand there, stiff and staring at the stove. Clearly he was trying very hard not to turn around. Either because he was embarrassed or because he was- "I'm going to take a warm shower," Charlie announced quickly.

"Okay," Draco said over his shoulder, catching glimpse of a soaking redhead in nothing but his boxers. Wet boxers that clung to his body as much as his shirt had. He snapped back forward.

What the hell was this? Charlie was not attractive. He did not want him. He wouldn't even know what to do with him! He is a man!

He was not having these feelings. He had just been stuck in this bloody tent too long.

Draco went back to breakfast.

Charlie took a brief shower. He walked out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist and another he was using to dry his hair. "I hate rain." He stopped at his dresser.

Draco hummed something from the table.

"So B is having a thank you kind of party tonight. Since all us keepers have been working our asses off the past week. You want to go?" He slid a pair of boxers on under his towel.

"To a party?"

"Yup." A pair of jeans emerged from the second drawer.

"Are they a normal occurrence here?"

"Occasionally. The higher ups throw them or sometimes when the keepers get bored. If you don't want to go we don't have to."

"We?" Draco asked.

"Well sure. I wouldn't leave you here all alone." Charlie pulled a shirt on.

"You wouldn't?" Draco said skeptically.

"No, I couldn't have fun knowing you were here all by yourself, bored out of your skull."

Draco thought a second and turned in his chair as Charlie stepped up into the kitchen area. "Alright let's go then."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah. Anything is better than this."

"Can you hold your liquor?" Charlie asked with a small laugh.

Draco stared at him. "I've only had one or two dinks in my whole life and it was Superior Red."

"Of course it was." Charlie shook his head. "You're in for it, boy."

"Why?"

Charlie leaned against the counter. "Nothing but cheap whiskey and homemade cider out here."

Draco laughed. "I won't drink."

Charlie nodded. "Probably a good idea."

"I'm going to try and get some sleep." Charlie yawned. His shift was from midnight to ten.

Draco had owled his mother asking for a book worth reading. He had received a few all were slightly better than Charlie's but all had been chosen by his mother. Needless to say they leaned a little heavily to the romance side, which he didn't care for at all.

He reached forward pulling his book towards him from across the table.

Charlie fell into bed with a great sigh. He rolled onto his stomach, not caring about the mess of blankets. He took up the whole bed shamelessly. He released a tired groan making Draco chuckle. He looked over to see him curled around a pillow, leg thrown over it, toughly embracing it.

He looked comical and completely content. Draco caught his eyes drifting, shook it off, and turned back to his book. Maybe it was a good idea after all to go to this party. He needed exposure to someone other than Charlie.

That or these books were messing with his head.

He did not have a crush on Charlie Weasley. For one he was a _Weasley_ and for two, the most important, he was a _man_. Draco Malfoy was uncertain about many things in his life. About the fight between his mother and aunt that put him here, about how he was simultaneously the most luckiest and unluckiest man alive, and how he could find himself in debt to that dunderhead Potter. With everything he couldn't control it would be nice to say, 'at least I know who I am.'

Here he was, unable to say that, and it was the most enraging thing.

Later that evening Charlie lead them through the fields towards a tent, glowing all lit up against the dark sky. Noise was radiating from it, pulsating into the night.

The slid through the entrance and into the crowd. Bianca's tent was quite larger and less humble than Charlie's.

The happy keepers were flowing in and out of what seemed to be a labyrinth of rooms. Charlie was greeted by everyone that passed, either by a friendly hand shake or a hug. Charlie was pretty popular among the other keepers.

Draco found himself consumed by the crowd. He lost sight of that Weasley hair and stumbled into a kitchen of sorts.

A wizard handed him a cup. Draco, feeling awkward and lost, took it without protest. He planned on setting it down and not picking it up again once he got out of the room.

Charlie stood taller and craned his neck. "I think I lost my Malfoy."

"Yours is he?" Bianca put an arm around his shoulders. "Step into my office." She turned him around and guided him through the hall to another room.

There was a fine leather couch and a dark oak coffee table. Some keepers and the coordinators were gathered around it with everfilling shot glasses. Charlie laughed. "You know you can't beat me, B."

She smacked the back of his head. "Don't call me B. Sit." She pointed to a spot by the couch, falling onto it herself.

Charlie sat down at the end of the table and reached out for a glass.

Draco wondered through the flow of people. He had no idea that there was this many on the reservation. He took another sip from his cup and kept moving.

Charlie set the glass back on the table and fell back against Bianca's leg. "I can't get too smashed."

She leaned down over him. "You admit defeat then?"

Charlie laughed. He tilted his head back. "I bow to you, madam."

"You are but my humble bitch," she said back before moving closer.

Draco found an escape from the mess of people through way of a hall. It was less crowded. The noise seemed to get nicer too. Though he had this awful dizzy feeling.

He adventured down the hall, stumbling a little, now that there was no sea of strangers to keep him up. He walked past a room of wizards and witches laying down cards and clothing. He shook his head and found himself looking into a different room.

There was a royal leather sofa, chocolate brown, beautiful in the world of furniture, and a dark oak coffee table where wizards and witches were throwing back shots.

They were shouting merrily, cheering each other on, and such. Draco found the scene funny.

His eyes roamed to a corner of the room and he no longer found it comical. As he watched the entanglement of the snogging couple his chest felt tight and he felt like he was shrinking.

The snog ended in matching smiles and breathy laughs. Charlie turned and reached out for a cup. He saw the blond standing there in the doorway and froze.

Draco looked purely shocked and hurt. He turned back around and hurried down the hall. He felt sick and wanted to leave.

Charlie gently grabbed Bianca's hips and moved her off his lap. "Your Malfoy saw us," she said with a jesting kind of laugh. He ignored her and got up to chase down the blond.

Draco stepped out of the tent and threw down the cup. He started towards where he thought Charlie's tent was. He didn't even care at that moment. He just wanted to leave.

"Draco!" Charlie had caught up. He was nearly running.

Draco shook his head and kept marching on.

"Draco." Charlie reached out, grabbing his arm and spinning him around. "Wait."

"Fuck you," Draco spat. He pulled himself free and went on.

Charlie ran in front of him. "No, look what happened-"

"You were snogging her!" Draco walked past him.

Charlie paused. He grabbed Draco's arm again, holding it tighter. He looked into his eyes a long second. "Have you been drinking?"

Draco pushed at him. "Let go! I want to go!"

Charlie released him.

Draco stormed off and then slowed to a normal walk.

They went on in silence. Draco lead them into their tent. He walked into the kitchen, unsure of where to go exactly.

Charlie dropped down onto the bed.

"You're dating her aren't you?" Draco asked.

Charlie sat up to see Draco looking down at him. "No. B and I, we're not together."

"But-"

"You can sleep with someone without dating them."

"Oh…" Draco still stood there. So this meant that Charlie was absolutely straight. He should be glad. It meant that all those passes and weird flirting moments weren't really that. They were just teasing after all. He should be happy… he wasn't, and the reason why was unknown. "You do that often?"

Charlie looked like he had been physically hit. He stood up and brushed past the teen. "Come off it."

"What?" Draco asked, confused. He turned to keep talking.

"We can't- You're- You've had too much to drink. We should talk in the morning. Okay?"

But this was bothering him now! "No."

"Draco, we can't do this!" Charlie said suddenly, grabbing the boy's shoulders.

"Do what?"

"You can't have a crush on me," Charlie said soberly.

Draco pushed him away, offended. "Me? Crush on you? Are you mental?" He laughed. "I would never! Look at you! You're a Weasley! Even poorer than the rest of your family out here, living in the dirt! Ridiculous!"

"Draco."

"That's hilarious!" Draco was walking towards the kitchen. His back was to the redhead, waving his hands and grabbing his stomach in laughter. "What a laugh! Me want you!"

For the third time Charlie grabbed his arm and spun him around. It was almost violent in a way.

Draco was shocked when lips were pressed against his. Charlie's grip released his arm and hand moved up to hold his neck in a proper embrace. Draco held his arms, wanting to push him away almost instantly. He could feel the muscle under his jacket, his body was warm, and his inebriation saw no consequences for this.

Charlie's fingers slid into blond hair. He moved a little closer. His tongue moved into a willing mouth.

Draco squeezed Charlie's arms. His only thoughts on that tongue against his and that rush of heat. He had wanted this, his body wanted this. He wanted Charlie Weasley in any way he could get him!

The kiss became light again and Charlie stepped back, completely out of the other's hold. Charlie looked surprised himself. He put his hand over his mouth and kept retreating. "I shouldn't have done that. Why did I do that? Shit." He collapsed onto the edge of the bed and put his face in his hands. "Why did I do that?"

"I've never snogged like that before."

Charlie looked up to see Draco touching his lips. It was a sight that made him look at his feet. "You've never snogged before." It wasn't a question, more a realization. Draco was a child, innocent, this was so very wrong.

"No I have," Draco was quick to correct. He stepped forward, dropping his hand. "Once. This girl, my date to the Yule Ball, it was disgusting though. Nothing like that." He smiled widely.

Charlie looked up again. "We can't do this."

Draco looked perplexed.

"For fuck's sake, Draco, you're eight years younger than me! I have a kid brother your age. We can't do this."

"But you kissed me," Draco argued quietly.

"Look, I'm not in the business of- I know. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have." He rubbed his temples. "You're seventeen… I hadn't meant to- You must be so confused right now."

Draco moved closer and sat down on the small lip of the bed next to Charlie. "I have been thinking about it." His head felt heavy. He leaned it on Charlie's shoulder. "Mostly I've been thinking about what you are…"

"I'm not anything," Charlie said. "I don't feel- It's- I've slept with-" He sighed heavily. "I'm attracted to you, but I shouldn't be."

Draco reached to touch his arm again because he liked the thickness of it. Charlie was a laborer, well built, nice to touch. "I'm attracted to you."

Charlie looked down at him. He was frowning. His weathered skin was so sad. Draco wanted him to smile, like he had been with that girl. Draco sat up and leaned forward.

Charlie turned his face away. He laid his hand over Draco's and gently moved it back to its owner. "We've had too much to drink." He stood up. "Get some sleep."

Draco watched him. "You're going to sleep outside."

Charlie nodded. "I think it best, yeah."

Draco shook his head. "It's muddy out."

"I know."

"Sleep inside," Draco ordered.

"I don't think-" He sighed again. "Yeah, alright. Go to sleep. I'm going to stay up for a little while longer."

Draco nodded, satisfied. Charlie turned away as the boy started to undress. He stepped up into the kitchen and sat down at the table.

He looked curiously at the book in front of him and pulled it closer.

Draco woke up in bed alone, with a small headache. He threw off the covers, amazed to find himself only in his boxers. He always wore pajamas.

His clothes were on the floor, he walked around them to go make breakfast.

He felt suddenly self-conscious seeing the redhead face down, sleeping, on the table. He was about to retreat when he realized Charlie was usually gone to work by now.

"Charlie," he called.

The man jumped up right in his seat. "What?" He blinked away the sleep and found himself looking at pale porcelain skin, and a lot of it.

Draco was small, almost sickly so. His pale skin and boney frame, but he was beautiful in his own right. So very beautiful.

Charlie coughed and looked up into his eyes.

"Don't you have to work?"

"Today's my day off," Charlie shared. He really wanted to look down again.

"Oh." Draco moved his arm across his chest to hold the other. He didn't want to retreat and make it known he was uncomfortable.

Charlie's eyes drifted. This time they landed on his arm. "Is that…"

Draco quickly covered it with his hand. "Sorry. I'll go put a shirt on." He turned to do that.

"Wait," Charlie requested. "Can I see it?"

"Oh…" Draco stood there unsure. "Um." He nodded and stepped closer, rotating his arm, waiting for Charlie to get offended.

"It's okay," Charlie reassured and smiled up at him.

Draco held out his arm to him.

Charlie looked to make sure it was okay if he touched it. Draco nodded.

Charlie held his wrist in one hand to examine the marked skin.

"It's faded some," Draco said. "Since he died."

Charlie didn't reply. His fingers reached out to touch the head of the hissing snake. Draco looked away. The Weasley barely touched the mark. He felt nothing. There was stories that toughing the mark stained your own soul. Something so corrupt could not go infecting only the person who wore it.

His fingers followed the lines.

Draco looked at him again. What was he supposed to make of this? His eyes drifted closed as Charlie's touch ghosted over him. "I used to feel it," he said softly. "This whisper in the back of my skull. Like a friend I didn't want…" They met eyes.

Draco remembered the kiss.

He wanted to kiss him again.

Charlie's fingers drifted up to the bend of Draco's elbow. Draco shivered and snorted. Charlie pulled back quickly.

"That tickled," Draco defended.

Charlie smiled. He sat back in his chair with a stretch and a yawn. He rubbed his neck. "Ow."

Draco chuckled a little. "I'm going to shower."

Charlie got out of his chair. "I'll make breakfast." He turned and saw Draco pulling clothes out of his trunk, half bent over, completely oblivious. Charlie found himself watching a little too long and went back to his task.

He sighed and put a pan on the stove.

Draco was a very attractive boy. Boy, he was a boy. A boy facing a crisis. All this was was a silly crush because Charlie had become his only friend in difficult times.

This wasn't happening. This couldn't happen. Charlie would make sure it didn't.

Draco came back all done up as he always was. His hair damp but falling just as he planned it to. He was adorable in his vanity. Charlie smiled and set the table.

Draco sat down under that odd look. "What?"

"Nothing," Charlie denied.

Draco looked at him skeptically but realized he wouldn't get an answer. He watched Charlie smile, feeling happy himself. When the Weasley smiled it was with his whole face. His eyes lit up and tiny lines appeared. It was enduring, handsome.

The moment stretched on too long. It became awkward. Draco looked down at his plate quickly. "So Bianca gave you the day off?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry," Draco said sadly.

"For what?" Charlie looked up.

"Last night, I interrupted."

"So you remember that." Charlie moved the food around on his plate.

"I remember most of last night." Draco was talking to the stove.

Charlie sighed and set down his fork. He looked at the blond. "I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?" Draco looked back at him.

"Last night I- You're- I never meant to confuse you."

"I'm not confused," Draco said confidently.

"You're not?" Charlie asked skeptically.

"No." Draco crossed his arms.

Charlie tilted his head and raised a brow.

Draco sighed and dropped his arms.

"It's alright. You're a kid, you're allowed these kinds of phases," Charlie smiled again. He knew he was being mean. He had to put this down.

Draco stared at him with a hard kind of edge. "A phase?"

"Yeah," Charlie nodded innocently.

"What is it for you then?" Draco retorted.

Charlie was caught off guard. His smile dropped. He coughed awkwardly and stood up, prematurely putting his plate in the sink. "Well that was a great chat. Why don't I go-"

"It makes you uncomfortable," Draco said. It made him slightly happy, he finally had something on him. "You don't even know, do you?"

"It's-" Charlie sighed, "complicated."

"Maybe it is for me too," Draco pointed.

Charlie spun around with a pained groan. "Stop this." He drug his hands down his face and stepped down out of the kitchen.

Draco turned in his chair. "Stop what?"

Charlie rounded sharply. "You are seventeen! A child! One I'm supposed to look after. You- You have a life ahead of you! I've got a job and a life and I'm settled. You won't have that for yourself by starting this."

"I won't have that for myself ever," Draco argued. He stood and faced the redhead. "I'm a fucking dragon."

"Only at night," Charlie replied smartly.

Draco looked at him uncomprehendingly.

Charlie tried to hide his smirk, that lead to a chuckle. "Sorry, your face."

Draco rolled his eyes and stepped down. "You're such a Weasley." He passed him with a hard shoulder to his arm, something he had practiced on his brother.

Charlie laughed a little and turned to see him opening his trunk and bending down to retrieve something. Charlie whistled. "You have one nice arse."

Draco stood back up suddenly. "Excuse me?"

Charlie smiled and shrugged. He started to walk away indifferently. "Like you don't know."

Draco's shock wore off. He did know he was incredibly handsome, there was no doubt there.

Charlie was eating out of the pan, pinching small amounts and tilting his head back to make sure it got into his mouth.

Draco finished pulling out his sweater from his trunk. All the rain had left the air a little cold. He slammed the lid and moved back to the kitchen. "You're being contradicting you know."

Charlie sighed. "I know."

"You never talk out right."

Charlie looked at him curiously. "What do you mean?"

"You tease and joke but never just say what you mean," Draco accused. "You want me. At least I think so. The things you say."

"You're seventeen, Draco. I don't-"

Draco stepped forward, shoving Charlie's chest, pushing him against the counter he had been leaning on, and pressing his lips to Charlie's.

The kiss didn't end as quickly as it should of. Charlie grabbed his shoulders to shove him away, but Draco pressed harder.

It ended with a sigh. Charlie looked down trying to judge the boy's reaction, reason- His eyes were beautiful.

Draco looked into the striking blue eyes of true Weasley breeding, his face straight and serious. "Your breath stinks."

Charlie patted Draco's arms and moved him back some. He laughed and side stepped past him. "Let me go shower and brush my teeth then."

Draco watched him disappear behind the curtain and sat down at the table. He spelled the dishes to wash and reached for his book.

He didn't know where this left them. Charlie thought he was just a kid. Maybe he'd have to prove him wrong.


	5. Big Brother Bill

Chapter 5- Big Brother Bill

The next few days they were in an awkward limbo. Not a relationship, not a friendship. Draco wondered how he should play it. Be cold and distant, like he had to the girls of Hogwarts, it had worked then; or lay it on thick with flirting and attention seeking. He had never used the later tactic but the first seemed like Charlie would enjoy it too much.

Charlie would use the silence to come up with more reasons for not starting a relationship.

Did Draco want a relationship?

He'd never been in one, didn't know how they worked, and was beginning to think either did Charlie.

Charlie walked into the tent for his lunch break. He stepped up into the kitchen and looked at the blond leaning against the counter, cradling a mug. "You drink coffee?"

Draco nodded and took a sip.

"How to you take it?" Charlie had his back to him, looking in the cupboard for something to eat.

Draco smirked behind his mug. He had several opportunities such as this one, and he exploited them well. It was almost as if Charlie did it on purpose. "However you like it."

Charlie hummed in thought. "I usually drink it black." He grinned and looked back at him.

Draco rolled his eyes. He stepped forward and sat down at the table.

"When'd you wake up?" Charlie asked, biting into an apple.

"About an hour ago."

Charlie nodded. "You've been sleeping a lot lately."

"Can't help it. It's the curse."

"I know." Charlie sighed and sat down. "Want to go see the sight today?"

Charlie had been asking the same question for the past week, and Draco always answered with the same response. "Not yet."

"It's not that bad. There're some large stones set up for shelter. Most the dragons put out there can't find their own, and I don't expect you to be able to either."

"Will you be there with me?" It had been on Draco's mind for the past few days.

Charlie had been thinking about it too. A few weeks ago he would have offered to stay the first night but leave right after he had transformed. The thing was, now he wasn't just the comforting friend, he was the comforting boyfriendish-thing, and just because he wasn't in relationships now didn't mean he didn't know the role. "If you want me to."

Draco nodded.

"Okay then."

Charlie finished his lunch and left again. Draco wondered around waiting for night to come. He had found himself looking in the mirror in the bathroom, scissors in his hand.

Funny thing, boredom.

Charlie released and exhausted groan, walking into the tent. "Sorry I reek! Had me cleaning the bins this afternoon." He looked over at the blond coming to greet him out of the kitchen. "You cut your hair."

"Yes." Draco ran his fingers through his hair. "I think you should look into one too."

Charlie laughed. "Just finished growing out!" He sat on the edge of the bed to take off his boots. "Should of seen the hack job mum gave me."

Draco walked towards him. "Do you like it?"

Charlie looked up. It was written across his face. He didn't have to say a word.

Draco smirked and turned away, back towards the kitchen. "Go shower, you do stink."

The stunned silence was a victory beyond compare. Finally, Charlie was on the receiving end. He just had to push a little harder and the man was completely his.

Luckily, or unluckily for Charlie Weasley, Draco was a great schemer.

The nights of tensely sleeping at separate sides of the bed were gone. Draco shed his self-doubt and boldly moved into the center.

Charlie tried his hardest to ignore him. Draco saw it in his freckled jaw, it would tense with every move. Draco tried to hum, make sounds, breath a certain way, at first he wondered if he was overplaying but by the second hum and stretch, Charlie opened his eyes. He looked at the blonde all sprawled out, gripping the pillow behind his head, and then away quickly. Draco watched Charlie take a deep breath, lacing his fingers on his chest, and close his eyes again.

It was getting fun for Draco. He had never tried to seduce someone before. It was a little nerve racking, putting yourself on that ledge with a line or a movement and then waiting for a response. Sometimes it would be the one he wanted, and sometimes it would be more disappointing.

Overall though, it appeared to be working. Charlie looked frustrated, with everything. One morning his cereal offended him, the next the sheets and he'd kick at them endlessly. His trance-like sleep was even breaking. He'd whimper, make a sound, roll over.

He had to be on his breaking point.

Draco purposefully bent over to pick up a fork he had "accidently" dropped on his way to the sink. He heard Charlie sigh and smiled to himself.

The chair at the table made its sound against the floor ad it moved. As per usual Charlie went out for air after such an encounter. Draco loved it. He took it as a small victory.

He was startled, dropping the plate into the sink, Charlie was behind him. So close. "Do you know what you're doing?" His voice was a level Draco had never heard before. It was thrilling and scary at once. It dropped even lower, he moved closer, his chest touched Draco's back. Draco gasped, the sharp, splitting feeling in his core. He stared out the window above the sink. He had a smart reply but it was stuck in his throat. "You're not even a dragon yet and you're playing with fire."

Draco felt himself shudder, he wanted so bad to suppress it.

He could hear the smirk in Charlie's voice. He braced the counter on either side of Draco's hips. He moved closer still. His face so close to Draco's neck, he could feel his breath, perfect, warm, even breath. "What's the matter? The game's no fun when you're losing?"

Draco moved. How, he doesn't know. He spun around as much as he could, as much as he had to. His hand reached back, catching Charlie's neck, he pulled himself up, and Charlie down, touching lips, hard.

Charlie stepped back.

Draco started to panic.

Charlie spun the blond towards him fully and kissed him again, and again, and again…

Draco's hands found red hair. Soft, long, messy, red hair. His fingers wound into the perfect mess, feeling like they belonged there.

Charlie kissed harder. His hands gripped Draco's side. They squeezed and kneaded in the same rhythm their tongues moved.

Draco was dazed. Charlie's body against his, the counter in his back, nowhere to go, nowhere he wanted to go, tongue, teeth, stinging lips, this weight in his stomach. Something broke off of it and slipped from his throat. He felt it, he heard it, it was amazing. How his body could just make that sound and his brain have no say.

Charlie pushed away with one large step back. He didn't say anything for the longest time. He just stared. There were words there though, something he wanted to say.

Draco waited expectantly.

"If we are going to do this," Charlie finally began, "I draw the line."

Draco looked at him offended, he didn't know what was best for him.

"I'll decide what you're ready for," Charlie went on.

"I get no say?" Draco argued.

Charlie nodded. "Only way I'll do it."

Draco crossed his arms and stared off at the tea kettle. "No."

"Draco-"

"I know what I want, Charles Weasley, I want you."

Charlie shook his head and laughed a little. "You have no idea what that means."

"The hell I don't!" Draco reached out and grabbed Charlie's shirt to pull him close again.

Charlie shook his head. "I'm going back to work." He kissed Draco's cheek instead. "We'll talk later," he promised.

Draco sighed once he had left. He turned back around and went back to dishes.

Charlie was ill at ease. It didn't settle right at all. How could a boy of seventeen be so… attractive? Charlie wasn't that kind of man at all.

"Oi! Watch what you're doing," Bianca nudged him with her elbow and took the herb jar from his hand, putting it on the right shelf.

"Sorry," he turned to another shelf.

She hummed something. "It's the Malfoy isn't it?" Charlie looked at her to see her smirking. "You sleeping with him yet?"

Charlie looked at her surprisingly. "What?"

She laughed and walked back out of the shed. "That's a no."

"What did you mean?" Charlie followed her.

"Nothing really," she shrugged.

"I'm not like that," Charlie defended.

"No," she agreed. "You just have this way about you, make them come to you. You're a flirt."

"Am not," Charlie argued with a friendly push.

She laughed. "I'll see you after the weekend." She parted off in a separate direction.

Charlie walked into the tent and saw Draco sitting at the table reading a book. He sat down across from him. "How goes the romantic life of, who is it now?"

"A witch named Camilla."

"Oh?"

"All she does is screw every wizard she meets." Draco dropped the book. He looked at Charlie expectantly.

Charlie nodded. "So…"

"So…" Draco agreed.

"I'm free this weekend," Charlie shared. "I was thinking we could spend some time together."

"Like we don't usually?"

"No, I mean-"

"I know what you mean."

"Okay. So you want to do this still?" Charlie asked.

"Do you?" Draco asked back.

Charlie sighed and put his head in his hands. "I don't know."

"Do you need to snog me again?"

Charlie caught the humor in his voice, though it still had its sting. He shook his head. "Just give me some time alright?"

Draco nodded. "Fine."

"I'll make dinner." Charlie got up from the table.

"What can I do to help?" Draco asked, standing as well.

Charlie paused, and looked at him a second.

"What?"

"You can set the table if you want."

Draco turned to the cupboards. "How was work?"

"Fine. Why?"

Draco shrugged and set two plates on the table. "Interested."

"Well, I just organized the shed, worked with Nana a little. Nothing too exciting," Charlie shared.

Draco reached up and got two glasses. "So I've been thinking."

"Yeah? About what?" Charlie asked.

"My curse," Draco said quietly.

"What about it?"

"I'll be cold blooded, won't I?"

Charlie nodded. "Dragons are reptiles."

"And it will be at night. How do I stay warm?"

"A nest," Charlie answered, "coals, branches, things that burn slow that you can sleep in."

"Will I be conscious, my human self, to know to do that, or will my dragon instincts dictate everything I do?"

Charlie sighed and turned down the heat on the stove. "Your human conscious will take the back seat. When you transform you'll be fully dragon. That's what makes you so dangerous."

"Remember how I told you I woke up one morning with ripped sheets?" Draco asked carefully.

"Yeah?" Charlie reached for a serving bowl. "What about it?"

"I think I had a nightmare that night. I remember feeling terrified, but I don't remember why. Will it be like that? Will I remember what I did as a dragon or how I felt?"

"I don't know," Charlie shook his head. "You'll have to wait and see." He set their dinner on the table and took a seat.

Draco sat across from him. "What do you have planned for this weekend?"

Charlie shrugged. "Why?"

"Well, if we're dating now-"

"Are we?"

"If you want to keep snogging me."

Charlie laughed. "I think _you_ want to keep snogging me."

Draco rolled his eyes.

"That's why you've been flaunting."

"I do not flaunt." Draco looked away and crossed his arms, not hiding his blush.

"I could lower myself to your level, thing is I think you'd enjoy it too much."

Draco shook his head. "Don't get mad for being tangled with a Slytherin."

Charlie smirked. "We haven't even been tangled yet."

Draco leaned forward, his elbow on the table, breaking all kind of etiquette, but for the proper effect. "Do you want to be tangled with me, Charlie Weasley?"

Charlie looked at him a long second. He chuckled lightly. "You just can't stop can you?"

Draco shrugged and poked at his food. "I have the right to know, does my boyfriend find me attractive?"

"Boyfriend? I didn't agree to this," Charlie pointed.

"Too bad," Draco dismissed.

Charlie reached for his water. He smiled and hid a laugh.

"What?" Draco looked up from his plate.

"So if I am your boyfriend, the inverse is true?"

"Yes."

"And as my boyfriend I have entitlements."

"Entitlements?" Draco asked cautiously.

"Oh, like you'll make me dinner, and rub my feet, bring me butterbeers," Charlie listed.

"Yeah right," Draco scoffed. "Do I get my own entitlements?"

"Definitely, I could carry you, tickle you, beat you in every wrestling match."

"You got lucky," Draco dismissed.

Charlie raised an eyebrow in challenge. Draco looked at him defiantly. Charlie stood and braced the table as if to lung at any second.

"Don't you dare," Draco threatened.

Charlie grinned and took a step around the table.

Draco shot up out of his chair and moved to put the table between them. "You're being-"

Charlie moved quickly. He was heading to round the end and get to Draco's side. "Charlie!" Draco scolded, moving further around the table.

Charlie did it again and Draco broke into a run. He turned around the opposite end and took off as if to leave the tent. Charlie turned and cut him off. He caught the blonde around the waist and with a groan of effort lifted him up over his shoulder.

Draco roared with a laugh and covered his mouth to hide it. He released it and smacked the back of Charlie's head. "Let me go!"

"Oi! I'll drop you right now if you want." Charlie let his hold slacken just enough for Draco to slide closer to the floor.

Draco squawked. "No! You prick!" He pulled Charlie's hair.

"Fine. Down you go!"

Draco dropped onto the bed with a squeal. "You ass! You could have dropped me! I could of gotten a fucking concussion!" He was sitting up and reaching out to hit the redhead.

Charlie just laughed and grabbed his arms. "You couldn't even make a bruise."

Tried to pull his arms free. "Fuck you!"

"Oh you're not even trying." Charlie put Draco's wrists to the mattress.

Draco glared quietly.

Charlie leaned over him. "You're cute when you pout."

He honestly had the most innocent of intensions, but the moment their lips touched innocent was not the outcome. There was something about it, kissing the inexperienced, leading, teaching. He was pointedly not in the habit of dating virgins, his love life was too complex for a newcomer. He was too far from the norm to be the one with the welcome matt.

He had never been in this role. He felt guilty for finding it fun.

"We have to stop," he breathed against the blonde's neck.

Draco shook his head. His hands were free, running over Charlie's shoulders, down his back.

"Draco," Charlie argued quietly. He was being more than hypocritical. He couldn't stop kissing the pale skin. Those little sounds the body under him made were too good to ignore. "You're…" his voice faded between thick breaths and desperate kisses. He didn't want to stop. It'd been so long. "…not ready."

Draco clung tighter to Charlie's shirt with a gasp. "No."

"Oh…" Their bodies were moving, tangling. "We can't," he said with a little more conviction. "We can't." Charlie dropped his head on Draco's chest. He had to gain control of himself.

"Please…" His voice was perfect, beautiful, hitting all the right notes. "Charlie?" His fingers in red hair.

There was so many things in Charlie's mind. Bad things, wrong things, this was wrong. He sat up quickly. "Draco, stop." He shook his head. "We have to stop."

The blond dropped his hands over his face with a groan.

"I'm sorry but-"

"Get off me," Draco mumbled through his hands.

"Look, I know. I just don't think-"

"Get off me!" Draco uncovered his mouth but kept hiding his face.

"Draco, don't be mad at me please." Charlie reached for the boy's wrists. "I just don't want to-"

Draco dropped his arms heavily and looked him straight in the face.

"Oh." Charlie looked into the bloodshot eyes, as pink as the porcelain cheeks. He dropped his eyes down then quickly back up. "I'm sorry."

"Get off me," Draco repeated, angrily.

Charlie looked down again, longer this time. "It's not fair."

"I bloody know it's not fair!"

Charlie met his eyes once more. "No, it's not fair to you."

Draco turned confused. "What are you-"

Charlie was suddenly not there anymore. He was so much in shock he couldn't say anything at first. "What are you doing?" he managed to force out.

Charlie looked up. "Do you not want me to?"

"I-" Yes, he wanted to say yes, but no was there, and I don't know was first on his list. This was frightening, nerve-racking. What did he want?

"Draco, is this okay?"

He stared for the longest time. Was it? This is what he wanted. Charlie Weasley was offering to pleasure him. What a vision the redhead made, perched _there_. Yes. He wanted this. He nodded.

Charlie continued.

Draco fell back on the bed. What was this? What would it be like? Good? Better than himself? How much? Ten times better? Thirty? What if he- "Oh… Charlie." Calculation was no longer important.

Charlie moved away. "Good?"

Draco nodded. "Yes. Do it again."

Charlie chuckled and did. In fact he didn't stop doing it. Draco was mewling and biting his knuckle, staring at the wall, moaning whimpering, shuddering. Charlie's hands, mouth, and his tongue, that fucking tongue!

Yes, it felt good. Yes, it felt so good. Yes, he wanted this.

His back started rolling. He was close, so close. "Charlie… Charlie!" He gripped the bed sheet, twisting it. He needed to hold on. Just a little longer… just a little more. It was too good to end now.

His head fell back. His body started shaking, legs tensing. Not yet, not yet! "Please," he begged.

Charlie misunderstood.

"Oh! Oh! Wait! Not… Oh yes!" With a groan Draco was blessed with the best orgasm he'd ever had. He collapsed onto the bed, weightless and full of lead. Who knew a mouth could do that.

He was panting, laughing a little. It was comical. It was fun. He'd never felt like this.

Charlie was gone. Completely gone. Draco couldn't remember when he had left. He thought he was in the bathroom. He rolled over and with a satisfied smile fell asleep.

Charlie spit and put back up his toothbrush. He walked out of the bathroom, seeing Draco curled up spooning a pillow. He smiled a little and felt something settle in the pit of his stomach. Guilt.

He sat down at the table after spelling dinner away. That was probably the stupidest thing he could of done. Why didn't he just get off when asked?

He sighed and shook his head. Charlie got up from the table and went to the cupboard to get his broom. It was time to admit he didn't know what he was doing. It was time to see Bill.

Fortunately, Bill had a certain amount of patience when it came to his brothers. So, when Charlie came to his door late at night he tended not to ask questions until they were good and settled at the table.

"Bill, chérie, I'm going to bed," Fleur rubbed her husband's shoulder as she passed his chair.

She had been kind enough to pour them tea but after a tense silent knew it was her time to go.

Bill watched her go and then looked at his brother expectantly. "Well?" He was patient, not a saint.

Charlie sighed and looked at his mug.

"What is it?" Bill prodded carefully.

Charlie shook his head and looked up again. "It's- I don't know. Complicated?"

"Char, what is it?"

"I- I've met someone," Charlie said unsurely.

Bill sighed. He moved his cup and crossed his arms on the table. "What's his name?"

"What? How do you know it's not a woman?" Charlie demanded.

Bill gave a look that nearly battled Molly's. It said "like I miss a thing". He abandoned it humorously and shook his head. "I figured if anyone was to tame the dragon tamer it'd be a man. Why? Am I wrong?"

"No," Charlie admitted. He looked at his mug again.

"So who is it?" Bill asked kindly.

Charlie was quiet a second. Should he really tell him? If he wanted advice he'd have to. "See, that's the thing… It's Draco Malfoy."

Bill changed all at once. Shock, was a good way to describe it. "Are you mental? How did you even- This is the same Draco that tormented our brother isn't it? He's what, six years younger than you?"

"Eight," Charlie corrected meekly.

Bill shook his head. "Ron will kill you- Lucius will kill you!"

"Look, I know. Why do you think I'm here?"

Bill sighed and looked at his brother. "He's the same age as our brother, our youngest brother."

"I know. I feel weird after every time I kiss him."

Bill was thinking a second and then looked at Charlie with dread. "Please tell me you haven't slept with him."

"No! No, of course not… well, not technically."

"Charlie! Can you not be yourself for all of three minutes? This is serious."

"I know! Bill, I need help. This is sick and twisted and I can't stop. He's just a kid but I-"

Bill's look of condemning settled. He sat back in his chair, staring at his younger brother.

"I don't know what to do. I tried ignoring it, I've tried telling him he doesn't want to get into it with me. I don't know the first thing about relationships. He wants one, he's never had one. I have and I've failed, you know that, but I've never felt this way before. I wish it would just go away. I don't want to hurt him, he's so fucking perfect." He smiled a little. "But I know it's wrong," he shook his head, "I just need to stop it."

Bill leaned forward again. "Have you ever felt this way about anyone else this much younger than you?"

"No, I'm not like that, Bill," Charlie defended.

"Like Hermione or Harry, any one of Ron's friends, nothing?"

"No! Never! They're like siblings, Harry's practically another brother and Hermione, though I admit she's grown up a bit, I still think of her as the frizzy haired girl that handed over that dragon. I wouldn't even think of it."

"How old's Draco exactly?" Bill asked.

"A few weeks from turning eighteen."

"How tall is he?"

"About my height, a little shorter," Charlie answered curiously.

"And build?"

"Why?" Charlie asked.

"You just said something. They have grown up some. Ron's gotten taller, Harry too. In fact they nearly look like adults. Did you know Ron went into a pub looking for George once and was handed a drink? You aren't some cradle robber, Char. They aren't babies."

"What are you saying? This is okay?"

"I guess yeah." He nodded approvingly. "In moderation," he added quickly. "He's becoming a man, he isn't one yet, and it's not your job to speed up the process," Bill said warningly.

Charlie laughed a little. "You're a prick."

Bill chuckled with him. "Go home. Get some sleep."

Charlie nodded and slowly got up. "Thanks for the talk."

Bill stood to walk him out. "You're my brother," he dismissed.

Charlie got to the door and picked up his broom. "So it's alright that I date him?"

"I think you know the situation well enough to make a good decision. Just because we both know you've done stupid things doesn't mean you're a bad person. And don't worry, I won't go telling Mum on you. This can be one of those things only we talk about."

"Thanks, Bill." He gave his older brother a hug before leaving.

He walked back into his tent and spelled his broom to the closet. He looked at the blond in his bed and sighed. Was this right?

The vision in front of him made him actually happy. He was adorable when he slept. Charlie pulled off his shirt and shed his pants, letting them land wherever they wanted as he walked towards the bed.

As he got closer he discovered that at some point Draco must have woken up. He was dressed in his pajamas. They must have been a Christmas present, something that nice; green silk with his name and family arms on the breast pocket. Charlie had seen them only once before.

Now he knew he needed to apologize. After what had happened he should of stayed. Draco waking up to find him gone was more than likely a little insulting.

He had been thinking the entire flight back. Draco wasn't a boy, but not a man either. He'd take Bill's advice, tread lightly, but add a little of his own.

Charlie crawled into the bed unreserved. He slid an arm around the sleeping body.

"You're cold," Draco grumbled.

"Sorry," Charlie put his nose to the back of Draco's neck.

"Where'd you go?" Draco pulled away a little.

"Went to clear my head is all, sorry." Charlie snuggled closer.

Draco groaned unhappily. "You're a cuddler."

"Oh, sorry." Charlie moved away. "Just thought- Nevermind. Go back to sleep." He rolled over onto his back and adjusted his pillow behind his head.

Draco turned onto his side. "It's not bad… I just don't-"

"If you don't like it it's fine." Charlie looked at him. "Not everyone does."

"No. It's not that." Draco moved carefully. He slid closer to Charlie and positioned himself lower in the bed to put his head on Charlie's chest. They were quiet a while. Draco put his arm across Charlie's middle to get more comfortable. Charlie lifted his head, almost like he was doing a sit up. Draco felt the muscles move and turned his head to look at the Weasley. "I don't like being smothered I guess."

Charlie chuckled and dropped back onto his pillow. He put his arm around Draco's side. "Noted. Will you sleep like this?"

"Don't know. Are you okay?"

"There's nothing you can do that will surprise me," Charlie assured with a small laugh. "This is fine."

"Oh. Well, goodnight."

"Night."


	6. Speaking the Language

Chapter 6- Speaking the Language

Draco sat down at the breakfast table with his plate. Charlie sat down across from him. The blond was still dressed in his fancy pajamas that looked even more expensive in the current light. "You're incredibly vain," Charlie said lightly.

"I've been told," Draco replied sourly, continuing to eat.

"I didn't mean to insult you," Charlie defended quickly. "It was just an observation."

Draco looked up.

"I find it cute actually," Charlie said briskly. He smiled and went back to his plate.

"Really?" Draco asked skeptically. "You don't seem the kind to find that an attractive quality."

"Usually I don't. No, I've never really known anyone who is," Charlie corrected. "I guess you aren't my type," he added humorously.

"So what type do you usually date?"

Charlie shrugged. "You know what, I don't remember the last time I _dated_ anyone."

"Have you ever dated anyone?" Draco followed.

Charlie paused, starring at his food. He nodded sadly. "I'm a prick," he said in warning he looked up again.

"Why?" Draco asked.

"I dated this girl in school. My seventh year. We'd been friends a long while before so we were close. We'd only been dating a few months and, well, I lost my virginity to her- and she to me." He smiled a little and looked down again. "Then I did something stupid."

"What happened?"

"We were in a fight, all couples fight, but at the time I was- a prick."

"What happened?" Draco repeated, placing his chin on his hand.

"There was this bloke, Louis, and he and I- I was curious, and mad at her, and- When I told her, I'd never seen someone cry so hard and be so angry. So I don't date."

"Because you don't believe in commitment?"

"No, I believe in it fine, I'm just no good at it."

"Would you cheat on me?"

"No!" Charlie declared, "I wouldn't."

"Really? Because if I caught you with Bianca again I'd hex you until your dick fell off," he shared casually.

"Draco, the last thing I want is to hurt you," Charlie said, "I told you that. I just- I want to warn you too, I guess. Besides," he smiled charmingly now, "I've been with girls, I've been with blokes, the only thing I have left to be curious about is you."

Draco shook his head but couldn't really hide his small smirk. He stood from the table. "I'm going to go shower."

"You understand don't you?" Charlie asked desperately, "You don't think I'm a bad person?"

"Do you think I am?" Draco asked back looking briefly to his arm before disappearing into the bathroom.

After Charlie had done dishes and had his time in the shower he had sat himself down at the table with a dragon book. Draco came in from a short walk he had taken while Charlie had been in the bathroom. "You read those things for fun?" Draco asked critically.

Charlie shook his head, eyes still on the page. "No, for research."

"Research? What more could you possibly have yet to learn? You know everything about dragons."

"You think so?" Charlie looked up smiling.

Draco rolled his eyes. "What are you researching?" He tried to see the page.

"A poacher harpoon, we found one on the grounds a few weeks ago but since then there has been no other signs and it's bothering me."

"Did they get what they wanted?" Draco asked.

"No," Charlie shook his head. "Humphries was turned back out yesterday."

Draco assumed that was the dragon's name. He sat down at the table. "So they'll try again."

Charlie nodded sadly.

"Was it a rare dragon?" Draco asked.

"No, I think they were after the scales, teeth, talons, things they can sell to potion makers."

"Was it a rare harpoon?"

"No, it's meant for troll hunting, back when that was practiced."

"Oh," Draco watched him a few seconds. Charlie was scribbling in a little journal his findings. "Have you looked into my curse at all?"

"I have," Charlie set down his quill. "Some sources suggest a cure."

Draco moved forward on his seat. "Really?"

"Some," Charlie repeated pessimistically.

"Still, if there's conflicting text then there's hope," Draco said happily. "Every curse has a counter course."

Charlie shook his head. "Not every curse. Not the Killing Curse," he reminded.

Draco got up. He walked over and sat down on the end of the bed.

Charlie sighed and closed his books. He went over and sat beside him. "I'm not trying to disappoint you. I just don't want you to get your hopes up." He took the blond's hand in his. "Don't be mad at me."

"I'm not mad," Draco shared. "Not at you. You're actually helping me."

Charlie leaned over to kiss Draco's cheek. "It will be okay. I'll be with you."

Draco stayed pensive.

"What do you want for your birthday?" Charlie asked suddenly. "I am your boyfriend now, and it is customary that as such I get you something."

Draco shook his head. "I don't care. I really just want to go home."

"We can do that. Just for one day. I'll take you to see your parents," Charlie shared. He smirked and leaned in again, purring softly against Draco's neck, "Are you sure that's _all_ you want though?"

Draco gasped. The hand in his gave a small squeeze.

"As your boyfriend, birthdays are free passes." Charlie pulled away with a grin. His tone of voice changed from seductive to blatant, "Want to snog, take your mind off things?"

Draco laughed a little and shook his head. "Yeah." He leaned towards him.

Charlie held the side of his face and met him in a kiss.

Draco held himself on his hand shifting closer. Charlie grabbed him suddenly by the waist and threw them onto the bed.

Draco made some kind of squawk and laughed. Charlie moved around to get comfortable. Draco moved his arm out from under him and shifted on the tangled blankets. "What was the purpose of that?"

Charlie shrugged. "Getting you to make that noise."

Draco rolled his eyes. Charlie slid closer, their breath mingling and smiles wide. Charlie took Draco's hand again.

"I thought you would say something like, 'to get you on your back,'" Draco said making his best impression of Charlie's voice.

Charlie laughed. "Nah. I think we've had enough of that." His voice become more serious. "I'm sorry about last night."

"What?"

"I shouldn't of just- done that, and then left."

"Where'd you go?" Draco asked.

Charlie sighed. "My brother's."

"What for?" Draco asked.

"To talk."

"After-"

"I needed advise," Charlie answered honestly. "Bill's good at listening."

"Bill's your older brother, right?" Draco asked.

"Yeah."

"He knows we're together?"

Charlie nodded. "Hope that's alright."

"Was he mad?"

"More at me, you're a little young." He smiled. "But I think it's alright. He was only mad for a little while."

"Will he tell anyone else?"

"Bill, no. I talk to him about everything. He's the only one in my family that knows I fancy blokes too. My mum can't understand anything like that."

Draco hummed. "Want to snog, take your mind off things?"

Charlie laughed his booming laugh turning away for a second. "You're something else." He rolled back onto his side. He pushed some blond hair out of Draco's face. He moved closer to kiss him.

It was a slow entanglement, a back and forth of tongues. Draco held his arm, feeling the tense muscle, Charlie is a strong man. He moved closer, his hand reaching up for his shoulder.

Charlie held his waist gently. His touch not as imposing as Draco knew it could be. They were just snogging.

Charlie broke the kiss kindly. He smiled and breathed out a sigh. His warm breath on Draco's lips. It seemed almost like a laugh.

"What?" Draco asked.

"Come watch the sunset with me," Charlie proposed. "It's beautiful from the mountains. I'll pack us dinner too. It can be like a date." He got up from the bed and held out his hand.

Draco smiled and took it. "I'll get my cloak."

Charlie spelled up dinner and charmed it to stay warm. He put it in a parcel and grabbed his broom. "Draco?"

Draco looked at himself in the mirror. He fixed his hair, turned a different angle, put his hair back. He sighed and leaned closer to the mirror.

Maybe this was it. Dinner on a mountain to the sunset, it would just be all too romantic to lose his virginity too.

_"Merlin, I'm acting like a girl!" _He told himself. He ran his fingers through his hair to mess it up.

He looked at himself and reached for the comb again.

He wouldn't mind so terribly if it happened with Charlie. He liked Charlie, a lot. He wanted it to be with Charlie.

Draco sighed and rubbed his forehead. He only had a short while before the transformations started. He'd have no time to spend with Charlie after that. There'd be no opportunity for it.

He really wanted it to be with Charlie.

"Draco?" Charlie called. "We only have a few more minutes until sunset."

Draco looked at himself in the mirror again. Was he attractive enough to entice a twenty-six year old?

He sighed and stepped out of the bathroom. He smiled. "Let's go then."

Charlie just stood there.

"What?" Draco asked.

Charlie learned to swallow again. "Nothing." He smiled. "Um, shall we?" He led the way out of the tent.

Charlie had shrunken the parcel and put it in the pocket of his robe. He mounted the back of his old broom. He held on hand to it and held out the other for Draco to sit in front.

Draco nervously climbed over it.

"Hold on," Charlie said, "it's an old broom."

Draco grabbed the broom stick below where Charlie was holding. "Have you ever flown with someone else?"

"Yeah," Charlie answered as he kicked off the ground. The broom took off shakily into the sky. Charlie guided them along. "Once I was watching everyone while Mum and Dad took Percy shopping for school supplies his first year," Charlie shared as they moved through the sky. It was a calm ride, not a quidditch match or a race, nowhere to be in a hurry. Draco learned Charlie was a good flyer. "Ron broke his arm and I couldn't do magic outside of school," Charlie went on. "I had to fly him to the healer, which was also against the rules," he smiled, "but my little brother was hurt, I couldn't do nothing."

"How'd he break his arm?"

"Fred and George," that was a good enough explanation.

"It's Fred that was killed, isn't it?" Draco asked, looking over his shoulder.

"Mum has no more trouble telling them apart… Even with George's ear gone, he and Fred still would of gotten mixed up."

"I'm sorry," Draco sounded sincere.

There was a gust of wind and they quietly let it pass.

"He was my little brother," Charlie said sadly, "Let's talk about something else."

"What's for dinner?" Draco asked as they landed. They were on top of a hill just north of the reservation.

Charlie pulled dinner from his pocket and set his robe down on the ground, inviting Draco to sit. Draco did. Charlie sat down next to him, setting the shrunken package between them and unshrinking it.

They sat facing the bay, eating out of their containers. "What was your favorite subject in school?" Draco asked.

"Care of Magical Creatures," Charlie answered.

"Of course," Draco remarked with a laugh. "I was attacked by a Hippogriff in that class."

"I heard," Charlie smiled. He was going to say something but let it go. "What was your favorite class?"

"Potions," Draco answered, "but only to watch Potter look like an idiot."

"You don't like him do you?" Charlie asked.

Draco sighed. "I honestly have no grievances with Potter, or your brother. I just don't like them."

"It's alright, some people just don't mix. Like- name something in potions that doesn't mix."

Draco laughed. He thought on it, "mirkwood and linseed oil."

Charlie laughed. He turned towards the bay again. "Isn't it beautiful?"

Draco looked. The sun was red, hanging low in the sky, turning to roses and orange colors. The hard blue of night lurked behind it, waiting for its turn. The water of the sea threw the colors right back to the sky.

Charlie watched the blond take it all in. It wouldn't be long before Draco got to see every sunset, and every sunrise, if not in the same form.

Draco turned away to see Charlie staring at him. The redhead leaned forward, sitting up and setting his food aside. He crossed his arm over Draco's body, touching his lips to Draco's.

_"This is it,"_ Draco thought nervously. He moved to face the redhead, folding his leg underneath himself as they kept kissing.

Charlie smiled pleasantly as he pulled away. "You're really handsome, you know that?" Charlie moved his fingers through Draco's hair.

Draco smiled, looking down as he started to blush.

"You'll make one powerful dragon," he added kindly. He smirked and leaned towards Draco's neck. He kissed his skin softly.

Draco gasped.

Charlie made some obscure sound moving towards Draco's ear.

The blond laughed, "What was that?" He held Charlie's shoulders.

"Sorry, wrong register." Charlie cleared his throat and did it again, moving from the base of Draco's neck to his ear.

Draco's eyes went wide as something stuck inside him. He felt it tug at him. He tried to shove Charlie away. "What was that!"

Charlie didn't move, he did it again.

Draco panicked, a flutter settled in his stomach, it was provoked by that weird hum. What was happening?

"Maybe softer," Charlie mumbled to himself before trying a final time.

Draco opened his mouth to say something, what came out was not a word. He put his hands over his mouth in shock.

Charlie sat back with a soft chuckle. "I didn't really expect that to work."

Draco shoved him angry. "What did you just do?" he demanded.

Charlie laughed and smiled at him. "Draco, it's okay."

"It didn't feel okay!"

"What did it feel like?"

"Like, like-" he shoved him again. "It's not funny."

"Draco, I just," he took his hand, if only to keep from being hit or something, "I courted you, like a dragon."

Draco's glare was unwavering, "what?"

"Dragon courting, it happens every spring here. We try to study their behaviors. I thought maybe… I'm sorry. You're right it's not funny." He shifted to look out at the water again. Some stars had started to show.

"You just… courted me, like a dragon?"

Charlie nodded. "And you accepted."

"But- but- we're guys! Male dragons don't court other male dragons! Do they?"

"Sometimes," Charlie answered. He looked at the blond briefly, "it's different than a male courting a female."

Draco blinked at him. He could barely see in the weak light.

"I didn't do it as a male seeking a female, I did it as a male seeking a male, if that's what you're insulted about," Charlie said a little bitterly.

It was a little.

Draco moved closer to him. "How do male dragons court each other then?"

Charlie smiled, he liked talking about dragon habits. "Usually, there's one, and he has a territory. The other can't step on it or he'll be fought. Dragons are territorial, remember. So what he'll do, the interested one, he'll land just a little off the other's land, and wait. He'll wait there for days sometimes, and he won't leave for food or anything. Eventually the one that nests on the grounds will go investigate. He'll stand a little ways in, and the interested party will approach him. He'll keep his head down, wings in, be completely docile, he'll show his belly if he's threatened.

The first dragon will usually let them make their proposition unless he already has a mate for the season. Then he'll just send him on his way. They make that sound and lock necks. If it's a yes, he gets a reply, if it's a no he's rolled on his back, given a warning bite and the propositioned flies away."

"I felt insulted," Draco shared.

Charlie looked at him.

"I wanted to throw you on the ground," Draco went on.

"Oh," Charlie said sadly.

"But… then… you made a different sound, a better one. And I made that one back so… we're mates?"

Charlie grinned, "what sound?" He grabbed Draco and put his face in his neck. "Was it this one?" He made a noise again.

Draco laughed.

"This one?" Charlie changed the octave.

Draco made a hysterical squeal and nearly fell back.

"This one maybe."

Draco moaned, his breath catching.

Charlie pulled back quickly. "What did I just say?"

Draco grabbed him by the back of the neck and rushed forward. He kissed him, hard. He shoved Charlie down, he was only half on the robe, he was getting dirt in his hair. Draco kept kissing him with animalistic ferocity. He was panting between feverish kisses and making a noise Charlie had never heard before.

"Draco," he tried between messy brushes. He grabbed the teen's shoulders and moved him back enough to see his eyes. The grey was nearly gone, they had a strange tint to them. "Draco," he repeated.

The blond blinked, his pupils became a little smaller.

"Draco," Charlie called softly.

The blond sat back holding his head. "Ow."

"What the bloody hell just happened?" Charlie asked.

"What?" Draco asked.

Charlie looked down. Draco did too. He was straddling Charlie's waist. He moved off him quickly, rubbing his eyes. "Well, I'm just going to have to remember that sound," Charlie said, sitting up. "You alright?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry."

Charlie kissed his temple. "Come on, let's go back to the tent." They got up. Charlie started to pack up. "What did I say?" he asked, "Do you know?"

Draco shook his head. "I don't think I can be a translator."

Charlie smiled. "It's alright. Clearly I didn't make you angry though."

Draco was staring off at the trees thinking. His eyes went wide suddenly. "I think I do know what you said."

"What?" Charlie snapped up happily curious.

Draco started to turn pink. He shook his head.

"Something dirty?" Charlie smirked.

"Not- there's not a direct- it's just a feeling."

"What is it?"

"Know how you said one dragon approaches the other completely docile? Submissive… He would of made that sound."

"Oh," Charlie concluded. He picked up his broom and walked towards Draco. "At least we know one side of you is completely dominant."

Draco looked down. "Sorry."

"It's okay, I was asking for it. Playing around with dragon sounds." He held Draco's hand. "To be honest I thought it was fun," he winked. "Can we do it again sometime?"

Draco laughed lightly and gave him a playful shove.

Charlie flew them back to the tent. Draco walked in and fell onto the bed. The Weasley put the dishes in the sink and his broom in the cupboard. He walked over and stood at the end of the bed. "Are you alright?"

Draco was staring up at the ceiling.

Charlie climbed over him, careful not to get too close. He crawled up him enough to make eye contact and then fell to the side of the other body. "It really was my fault."

Draco rolled his head to the side to look at him. He turned and moved closer carefully. He leaned in, pushing himself up on one arm. He nuzzled Charlie's neck.

Draco closed his eyes. He thought of the feeling he had had just a little while ago. Something tugging at his insides, trying to get out. An obscure hum came rolling out of his throat. He laid back down, looking at Charlie, who was looking back quizzically. "I think it means the same as 'I love you.'"


	7. Perfection

Chapter 7- Perfection

Charlie stared. He didn't know what to say. He felt panic settling into his chest. "Are you saying you love me?"

Draco shook his head and rolled over to face the wall. "Goodnight."

"Draco, you're still in your clothes."

Draco got up with an annoyed huff, went to his trunk and then into the bathroom.

Charlie kicked off his pants, throwing them on the floor and climbing under the covers. He stared at the tent ceiling. What if that was what Draco had been trying to say? What if he was in love with him?

Charlie started to panic harder.

Draco came back and laid down in bed.

Charlie rolled onto his side and looked at the back of his head. Draco held up his wand and the lights went out. He slid it back under his pillow.

Charlie sighed. "Draco?"

The blond didn't answer.

"I know you're still awake." Charlie moved closer.

Draco still didn't say anything.

Charlie put an arm around him and moved closer still. "I'll keep annoying you until you answer me."

Draco huffed. "What?"

"What did you mean?" Charlie moved back a little.

"Nothing," Draco said flatly.

"Really?" Charlie was skeptical, "You weren't trying to say that you love me?"

"No," Draco said. "Now go away."

"Draco, what did you mean by it?"

Draco was quiet a long second. He was tense until he sighed. "You panicked."

Charlie was lost a second. He moved back further. "No, I didn't."

"Did so, you panicked," Draco argued.

"Okay, maybe- Maybe a little. What did you mean, Draco?"

"You panicked," Draco repeated, more to himself.

Charlie sighed and started softly, "Draco, look, I wanted to take this slow. Mostly for selfish reasons I guess. I've never had a good relationship, I wanted to go slow, enjoy little things, ya know?"

Draco huffed and rolled over to face the redhead. "Slow? Last night you gave me head and then today in the woods- You made that sound and-"

"I'm sorry, I know I'm sending mixed signals but in the woods, that wasn't intentional, I didn't know you'd have that response, that you'd jump me."

"Not that one!" Draco sat up, just to get away from him.

"What then?"

"You made that noise- the one I made back, the one I showed you just now."

"That wasn't intentional," Charlie defended.

"I bloody know it wasn't!" Draco threw off the covers and got out of bed. He took a few steps and stopped with his arms crossed.

Charlie sat up. "I said it first then," he concluded. "I'm sorry." He put aside the mess of blankets and got up. "Were you saying it back?"

"No. I was just- Can we just forget it?" He turned around and found Charlie closer than he expected.

Charlie looked at him a long second. "Did you shave?" Charlie reached out to touch his face.

Draco rolled his eyes and looked at the bed. "Yes. I don't like waking up with stubble. I mean there's no way to avoid it but at least it's less annoying this way."

"I didn't know you shaved."

Draco gave a pointed look. How old did Charlie think he was?

Charlie chuckled lightly. He was still touching Draco's soft skin. "You look so young."

"I am," Draco reminded. All this was confusing. What was Charlie trying to do?

"I know." Charlie sighed and moved his hand away. "Can we talk a second?"

"We're talking now," Draco pointed.

Charlie shook his head and rolled his eyes. He turned more serious. "I'm sorry. What happened earlier, in the woods. I didn't know what the sounds meant, I just thought- Maybe if we were mates in the dragon sense… it'd make things easier for you."

"What do you mean?"

"Maybe I could stay with you. You're going to be a dragon and I'm still going to be human, you won't want me around. I thought maybe if you knew my scent as your mate's in dragon form I'd be a comfort to you."

"You think?"

"Worth a try, right?" Charlie smiled. "None of the sources said anything about it. But not all of them were animals studied so closely." Draco watched him talk as he walked over to sit back down on the bed. Charlie joined him. "I didn't mean to upset you."

Draco shrugged. "It was kind of fun."

"Yeah," Charlie agreed with a small laugh, "never heard you laugh like that. Not even when we wrestled."

Draco shoved him. "Shut up."

"I have to work tomorrow," Charlie said.

"You should get some sleep then," Draco stated.

Charlie leaned closer. "Want to sleep with me?"

Draco stared at him. "What?"

Charlie laughed while crawling into the covers. "What?" He put his hands behind his head with a grin.

"Did you mean what you just said in that way?"

"Depends," Charlie said casually, "what way do you think I meant it?"

Draco narrowed his eyes. "I think you're being funny."

Charlie seemed to think about it for a second. "Yeah," he smiled, "you're right."

Draco rolled his eyes and laid down, pulling the covers over himself and turning on his side, away from the redhead.

He felt the bed move. Charlie had an arm around him like before. "This is what I meant."

"Oh."

"I know you don't like it but I'm still a cuddler," he said with a soft chuckle. He moved back again. "It's alright."

"You're so weird." Draco rolled over.

Charlie smiled. He reached up to push a strand of hair out of Draco's face.

"Why do you like it so much?"

"I don't know," Charlie confessed, "I just like holding someone I guess. Even after one offs and such I'd want them to stay, even though I knew nothing was going to come from it." He thought a little more looking into Draco's eyes. "Maybe it's because even though I don't do relationships I still like being close to people, especially bedmates," he added with a grin.

Draco shifted closer and experimentally put an arm around Charlie's middle. "It's not bad, I guess."

Charlie smiled. Draco found it infectious. They laid there a long moment staring at each other, Charlie was still moving his fingers in Draco's soft hair.

He started to think.

Who was this bloke to him?

Draco groaned and pushed the pillow off his face. He had tried several ways to block out the sunlight. Blankets, pillows, his arm, all were unsuccessful.

There was a sound in the kitchen.

He groaned again, louder. "Don't tell me it's noon already!"

"Sorry," Charlie forced down a large bite of his sandwich to talk. "I was trying to be quiet."

Draco rolled in the tangled sheets until he was able to move and sit up. He heard Charlie laugh. He glared at him.

"You look like you need a hot shower and some strong coffee. I'll put on a pot." Charlie turned to go do so while Draco climbed out of bed.

Draco took a fair time in the shower before dropping down at a plate Charlie had made for him at the table. "Headache?" Charlie asked.

Draco nodded.

Charlie put a small vial on the table next to the glass of water. "Here, try this."

Draco popped the cork and scowled at the smell. "What is it? Death?"

Charlie chuckled. "No, though I suppose that'd be a cure too. It's a tonic. The research I did said these are caused by your eye sight adjusting to whatever you'll be turning into. That'll help."

Draco picked it up again still with a disgusted face.

"Drink it fast and chase it with this," Charlie put the coffee mug by his plate. He kissed the top of Draco's wet hair. "I put a little something in here to help you sleep some more too." He turned from his retreat and gave a wink. "I have to go. Feel better."

Draco looked again at his medicine.

Charlie groaned. "No! You can't put them here! This is Diana's territory," he argued strongly.

"We have to move her to the caves," the other dragonologist stated.

"What? She's been here for decades," Charlie protested.

"Charlie," Bianca shook her head, dismissing him. "Go check on the fledglings."

"No! This isn't fair," Charlie insisted. "She's had a nest in those woods for years, she's hatched eggs there, you can't move her!"

"Charlie!" Bianca ordered. "I gave you a job. I'm you senior officer, do it."

Charlie looked at her in surprise. "You can't do this. She'll be killed in the caves, she's too old."

"Charles Weasley, I will have you removed," Bianca threatened.

Charlie shook his head. He looked past her to the man with the badge. "We're here to save them, give them good lives." He spit at the man's shoes.

Bianca shoved him. She pushed him back and dropped her voice. "I hate Ministry audits too. Let me handle this. You go take care of the fledglings."

Charlie was glaring at the man wiping his shoe in the grass.

"That outburst didn't help anything. You can stay late organizing the bins."

"Fine," Charlie seethed before walking away.

Draco sat at the table with a new book his mother had sent him. He started to wonder if she wasn't just pulling random ones from the manor that his father wouldn't care went missing.

This was a biography of a wizard who was a painter. He used magic brushes. Fooled the muggle art world again and again, making millions in his long life. It wasn't interesting.

It became late and he used his wand to light the lamps. It became even later and he spelled himself dinner. He decided to make Charlie a plate. He spelled it to stay warm and put it on the table. He set it nicely with the proper, well what he could find close to proper, forks, spoons, and knives. He thought maybe it would be seen as a romantic gesture, that's what he wanted to do.

He'd never done anything like it before. He was curious what it would be like.

He transfigured towels into a nice table cloth, and a cup into a vase, and cast _Orchideous_ to put flowers in it.

When he was done he looked at his work satisfied. It looked like a nice restaurant setting. He looked up, waiting for Charlie to come in at that very moment.

He didn't.

Draco felt a little disappointed, but he was still excited to see Charlie's response. He pulled out a chair and sat down to wait.

His book eventually had to make a reappearance. He sat there reading at a nicely made table for one.

Finally he heard Charlie come in. He closed his book and jumped up, setting it on the counter and going to greet him.

Charlie had passed right through to the bathroom.

"I made you dinner," Draco said.

Charlie came back out, wiping his face with a towel. "Thanks but I had to eat with-" He froze standing in the kitchen doorway. "Draco… you didn't have to…"

Draco walked past him to start undoing all the charms. "It was silly. I'm sorry."

Charlie stepped forward he put the towel off to the counter at his side. He grabbed Draco's wrist, making him drop the flowers. "Thank you." He pulled him closer to kiss him. "You didn't have to do this for me."

"I know," Draco looked down at his feet.

Charlie gently touched Draco's neck, holding his jaw. "I had a hard day."

Draco nodded. "I'll clean this up."

Charlie sighed and dropped his hand. "I'm going to go shower, and then go to bed. I'm sorry." He kissed Draco's cheek. "It really does look nice. Thank you. Maybe some other time I'll do this for you, or we can go on a real date if you want."

"A real date?" Draco asked.

"Yeah, to a restaurant in town or something," Charlie said.

Draco thought of sitting in public, flirting with another man. He felt embarrassed just thinking about it. He shook his head. "No."

"Okay." Charlie sighed. He picked up the plate to put the food in a container for tomorrow. "This can be my lunch." He smiled.

Charlie left to go shower. Draco spelled everything back to where it had been. He changed and moved into the nest-like bed far to the side so Charlie could get in when he came back.

He felt stupid. He shouldn't of tried anything, should of known better. He felt embarrassed and silly, and childish, and naïve.

Charlie was wearing just his boxers, his skin still red from the hot water and hair wet. He turned out the lights and laid down in bed.

Draco was ignoring him. He couldn't decide whether or not to be angry at him.

Charlie turned his head on his pillow to look at the blond. Draco was laying on his back starting at the ceiling.

Charlie moved closer. He reached a hand out in attempt to find Draco's. "I'm sorry." He sighed. "I had a bad day. We had an audit."

Draco didn't say anything.

Charlie felt the way he usually did after the kinds of days like this one. It was after these kinds of days that he would go to pubs in search of one offs. He smirked to himself and moved loser, his body lining up to the blond's side. He kissed his shoulder through his silk night shirt.

Draco still didn't acknowledge him. He probably thought Charlie was just fooling around. There was an idea, Charlie thought.

He pushed himself up and then leaned down to Draco's neck. "Hey," he started, kissing the pale skin softly, he added a purring sound, "wanna fool around a little?"

"What?" Draco demanded. He moved away and half sat up.

"I've had a frustrating day. And, I thought I could make it up to you for standing you up," he smiled.

Draco pushed himself the rest of the way up and turned to the redhead. "And by 'fool around' you mean?"

Charlie moved up as well. He leaned close again. "Whatever you want." He kissed Draco's jaw down to his collar bone.

Draco shuddered and grabbed his shoulders. "No, wait. What?"

Charlie's hand moved under the covers, it rested on Draco's knee. "Nothing serious, I promise. Like what we did before, that's as far as it can go."

"But- But you already- Do I have to do that for you?"

"Course not," Charlie moved back with a reassuring smile. "You don't owe me anything." He touched Draco's face. "Unless you want to."

Did he want to? Draco looked down. He had never seen the other man naked. He had felt it when they were snogging hard or sleeping close but there was always clothes between them.

He shook his head wordlessly. He was scared.

Charlie kissed his cheek, his fingers were tracing light circles on Draco's leg. "Whatever you want, Draco."

"Umm…" He swallowed hard. "I don't know-" He didn't know what to do, how to start.

Charlie moved away he sat up against the headboard, he moved the pillows behind his back. He patted his lap, "Come here?"

Draco looked at the sheets tangled around Charlie's thighs, at the pale blue stripped boxers the man was wearing. "Uhm," Draco awkwardly untangled himself and moved to where he had been invited. His eyes kept looking at Charlie's face, waiting for him to laugh. Charlie was just smiling, a happy, excited kind of smile, like the man was about to get his own personal dragon for Christmas.

"Like this?" Draco asked. He looked down at his position, straddling Charlie's legs.

"Yeah," Charlie encouraged. "But," his hands set themselves on Draco's hips, he gently guided them. Draco liked the feeling of being swayed and maneuvered. "Closer," Charlie finished.

Draco couldn't breathe. He was sitting in a man's lap in what was probably the most sexual position that he could think of. He was completely in Charlie's lap, their bodies were touching. He was nervous and afraid Charlie would _feel_ his excitement though their clothes. He couldn't breathe, he was trying so hard not to set himself up for embarrassment.

Charlie was tall enough that they were nearly eye level, Draco just a little higher. He moved his hands over the blond's arms hanging limply. He touched his shoulder and then ran his fingers though Draco's hair. "Relax," his voice was soft. He leaned forward. "You never have to worry about doing something wrong around me, Draco." He smiled and looked into grey eyes, "I think you're bloody perfect no matter what."

Draco released a breath, it felt like a nervous laugh. Charlie grinned and kissed him, a sweet kind kiss. His hand held the back of Draco's head and neck. The other moved around his waist holding his back.

Charlie's tongue moved against Draco's a soft push, making him open his mouth to fit all of the muscle before it withdrew, their lips closed, still together, they swallowed, mouths opened again so Draco could reciprocate.

Charlie's hand on his back pulled at his night shirt, slid underneath it to hold warm skin. Draco grabbed Charlie's shoulders to keep himself from falling forward.

The kisses became so fierce, they spent more time on the other's mouth, became rougher. They had to break to swallow and to breathe but they weren't long breaks.

The hand in Draco's hair slid down his shoulder, touched Draco's collar and then started to unbutton his shirt. The other hand abandoned its spot to help.

Draco broke away. He was panting, he felt hot. He looked down at Charlie's hands opening his shirt and had to tell himself not to stop them. He looked back into the redhead's face. Charlie's breath wasn't as labored. He glanced down and then back up in search of protest as he released the last button. His hands reached up, sliding between the fabric and Draco's shoulders to push it off.

Draco felt exposed. He felt vulnerable. Charlie's hands could touch him. They didn't though. One stayed where it had landed on his arm, freeing it from a sleeve, and other came back to Draco's face.

"Do you have an idea how fucking handsome you are?" Charlie asked. He was serious, he wasn't smiling.

Draco chuckled and the redhead smiled again before reengaging a new series of kisses.

He fell back against the headboard panting. Draco felt victorious and leaned forward to take his breath away again.

Draco's knees began to ache. He moved to get comfortable. He slid closer, letting their bare chests touch. He didn't expect the sensation of hot skin to his would of felt so great. He felt Charlie moan in his mouth. He thought he had done it at first but then he felt the heat underneath him twitch.

Draco gasped and moved away, but he felt his own body reacting. He could turn Charlie on? The man was getting aroused because of him? And their bodies, where they were touching, he could feel it, and he could feel him.

Charlie chuckled a little and leaned in to kiss Draco's cheek. "You're so fucking hot." He kissed his jaw, and then his ear.

Draco stared.

Charlie's arms wrapped around Draco's middle, hands touching his sides and his back. Draco felt it again and bit his lip. He liked that feeling.

Charlie kissed his shoulder, moved his tongue against his skin and sucked softly. Draco gasped, Charlie reacted to him now.

Draco moaned and dropped his head on Charlie's shoulder, their chests touching again. Their skin was sticky with sweat. Charlie's scent was thicker now. Draco was consumed in it. He kissed Charlie's neck, wondering what it tasted like.

"Oh, shit, Draco," Charlie fell back again. Draco felt Charlie's legs move under him. His thighs moved against Draco's, his heels digging into the mattress.

Draco felt the spark shoot through him. This was happening. They were both getting hard. It felt so good. Draco felt guiding hands on his hips again, moving them.

Draco jumped. "Oh shit!"

"Ah, yeah," Charlie panted.

Draco picked up moving on his own, they moved together. He felt hot, he felt so hot, he wanted to take off his pants.

Charlie's hands gripped him harder, he pulled at the waist band, he started to push it down. Draco stopped, gasping for breath, he felt fear strike him like cold lightning. "What are you doing?"

Charlie kissed his temple. "Trust me, this will feel so good."

Draco sat back to look at him. "What are you doing?" He repeated.

Charlie smiled. "Never mind." He moved his hands back up, holding Draco's sides. "Want to take your night pants off? It'll be more comfortable."

Draco looked down. He felt his face get hotter, he was sporting and there was no way to hide it… but so was Charlie. He had never seen another man's erection before or even a tent of it in a pair of stripped boxers.

His stomach did a flip. Charlie looked a nice size.

"Hey," Charlie reached up, tipping his chin to meet his eyes again. He just stared into them almost like what he was about to say was forgotten. He leaned up again, both of their eyes dropping. "I said you're perfect," Charlie whispered softly before their lips touched.

Draco moved his hands. He wanted to touch Charlie's shoulders again or his neck, or something. They twitched and brushed skin. He let them investigate. His fingertips slid cautiously over flesh. He realized he was touching Charlie's chest by where his hands were. He could feel the bumps of scar tissue, he traced the lines, some bigger than others. His finger brushed a nipple. Charlie made a sound and chuckled softly between brushes.

"Sorry," Draco pulled his hands back.

"You're fine," Charlie kissed him again.

"Can I take my pants off?"

"Mhm. Want help?" His hands were already drifting down.

Draco nodded between kisses.

Charlie pulled the waistband away from Draco's body as the blond sat up a little. He moved his leg and reached down to try and push them off. It was awkward and harder than it should have been. He felt embarrassed again when Charlie laughed a little.

"Okay?" He asked. He leaned back again so Draco could find his spot once more.

"Um, yeah," Draco said unsurely.

Charlie knew he wasn't. "Come here," he pulled him close again. Now with less between then Draco could really feel him.

He gasped and started moving again. Charlie hissed and reached for his hips. "God, you're hard."

"So are you," Draco breathed.

They kissed again. It was rough and messy, wet, so wet.

Draco pushed himself closer, against the man again, his hands braced the board behind the redhead. He could feel Charlie, really feel him. Every hard breath, and shudder, every twitch and flex that came from that secret place that Draco was simultaneously afraid of and excited by. They were just in their underwear, soft thin underwear. Draco got more and more curious.

He moved experimentally in Charlie's lap. Charlie's body responded, he moaned against his lips and then kissed harder. Draco tried something else. That felt good to him. He shuddered and groaned loudly, head tipping back.

Charlie kissed his neck. "Whatever you want, Draco, name it."

Draco shook his head. Like he knew what he wanted. He moved again like he had. It felt so good.

Charlie's hands roamed. He was trying hard not to pressure or suggest anything but the way Draco was moving his mind was wondering to dangerous things.

Draco was panting hard, moaning, hissing, he felt- He felt something against his thigh, against his skin. It was wet and fleshy and had shape to it. He knew what it was but at the same time didn't. He just wanted to keep getting that feeling he had had before his knee hurt and had to move.

He moved closer to Charlie again, the thing against his leg didn't. Draco mind was so cluttered, so foggy, he was so pleasure drunk. He noticed Charlie's groan and the thrust of his hips.

Draco gasped. That was Charlie Weasley's cock between his legs, and in fact it was very close to being _precisely_ between his legs and it only took Draco a second to realize he wanted that. He was curious but he wasn't scared or nervous anymore, he was just curious.

Charlie grabbed Draco's hips and pushed him up. "Whoa!" He panted and reached down to fix his boxers. "Sorry."

Draco shook his head. "No- I- You- I want to know. I think."

Charlie swallowed and looked at the blond. "What? Really?"

Draco nodded.

"Okay… Okay… just…" Charlie moved him back a little more. "One second okay?"

Draco moved off him onto the bed. Charlie untangled the sheets and shifted to get out of the bed. Draco watched him. His tent was even more predominant when he stood up.

Charlie went to his dresser. He opened the top drawer. He moved things about quickly and then got what he wanted and came back. Draco tried to see what he had in his hand but he couldn't make it out.

Charlie moved to a new spot on the bed, one that wasn't so sweaty. "Do you want to go back to what we were doing?"

Draco still tried to see his hand. He was nervous and afraid again. "Is it going to hurt?"

Charlie smiled. "Not the way I do it." He reached over for the blond, holding his shoulder and then his face, encouraging him to come closer.

They were kissing again as Draco settled back to where he had been. He liked the change in bed positioning, it was cooler.

Charlie touched his back his hands drifting down sensually. He kissed Draco's jaw. "Do you trust me?"

Draco nodded. "Yeah."

"Do your legs hurt?" They kissed softly

They didn't move far apart. "Kinda," Draco lied, they were burning.

"Want to lay down?" Charlie kissed his neck.

"Why?" Draco's head went back as Charlie started to suck his skin again.

"You want to?"

Draco shook his head. "No."

Charlie's fingers slid under the waistband of Draco's boxers. His middle digit sliding right into the crack of his arse.

Draco gasped and moved forward like to get away.

Charlie's hands moved back and took the waistband. "Can I take them off you?"

Draco swallowed. "Um, yeah."

He watched Charlie's face, he was watching as he pulled the elastic far enough from Draco's body to only brush him as he pulled it down.

Draco closed his eyes with a sound, air touched his skin.

"Know how I told you you're fucking handsome?" Charlie's lips said against his ear, "I lied. You are so completely fucking _gorgeous_."

Draco smiled.

"You're still sure?" Charlie asked more seriously.

Draco nodded.

"Um," he sought out Draco's lips again with a trail of kisses, "mind if I- It'll feel so good, Draco, I promise."

"What?" Draco asked.

"Can I take mine off too?"

Draco looked down between them again. He was naked. He was so completely naked, and Charlie was still trapped inside his boxers. He nodded and reached down, starting to play with the waistband. He thought about what was under it.

Charlie put his hands over Draco's. He leaned up to kiss him. "It's okay." He moved his hips and pushed down his boxers.

Draco gasped when soft flesh met, skin against skin. He moaned and squeezed Charlie's shoulders. "Ohhh sh-i-t!"

"Yeah," Charlie agreed. He grabbed what was on the bed beside them. It was what he had gotten from his dresser. Draco watched still trying to get his breath back.

It was lubricant. He put some in the palm of his hand and brought it closer to their bodies. "Here, this will be ten times better."

Draco shifted a little closer still. His eyes shot wide, he dropped his head on the redhead's shoulder. A wet hand had them both, stroking them together. "Shit! Oh fuck! Oh, Charlie!" He squeezed his eyes shut, panting hard. It felt so _incredible_!

Charlie hissed and moaned. He dropped his head back. "Draco, god, _Draco_."

Draco felt the hand on his back leave again, he heard Charlie cuss, say something about a mess. He then felt wet fingers behind him, moving carefully giving him time to protest.

Draco kept moaning for the redhead and trying to kiss him, though sloppy drunken kisses.

One of the digits pressed against him in the most intimate ways. He thrust his hips forward. Charlie kept playing, prodding, carefully, one finger only.

It felt good. It felt fantastic! It only twinged a second and it was over as soon as he flinched. "Oh, Charlie," he moaned loudly.

"You like it?" Charlie asked.

Draco nodded. He didn't know what way to buck his hips. "I'm so close."

Charlie was kissing his shoulder and neck and jaw and cheek and ear, wherever he could get. "Want to cum with me?"

Draco grunted. That depended on how close Charlie was to orgasm because he was going to any second.

He didn't even get to answer it hit him all at once. He had thrust himself back, Charlie's finger sliding deeper hitting something that completely undid him.

He came calling out the Weasley's name. He slumped forward, panting, shuddering, _that_ had been the best orgasm of his life.

Draco cringed when Charlie's finger pulled out, maybe it had hurt just a little.

He put his forehead on the tan collar and looked down at the erection still begging for release. He let his fingers brush the hard flesh.

Charlie made a sound. "You don't have to-"

Draco was already stroking him, using the last of his energy. Watching his pale fingers and the organ twitch and spasm. Charlie really was a nice size. He came with a rough sigh and violent shudder.

Draco smiled. Charlie turned his head and caught a kiss out of him. "So incredibly, fucking unbelievably, perfect."

Draco chuckled a little and wondered if he should move. They were done, and his knees hurt.

Charlie touched their foreheads and breathed a shaky breath. "So perfect," he repeated.

Draco smiled again.

"I'll go get something to clean us up," Charlie offered sadly.

Draco moved off him, his joints were thankful. He got to watch the man's bare ass as he walked away. He laid down in bed, feeling heavy and tired.

Charlie took just a minute. He had cleaned himself and then brought back a damp wash cloth for Draco. Draco sat up and looked down at his chest, he assumed it was Charlie's cum on his stomach.

"Sex is messy," Charlie winked.

Draco laughed a little and handed him back the cloth. Charlie also picked up the bottle of lubricant and put it back in his dresser.

With a heavy sigh he fell into the messy bed. "Guess it's really late now huh."

Draco rolled onto his side. They were still naked and he was somehow okay with that. "You're going to be grumpy tomorrow," he pointed.

"How can I be grumpy when had had one great night with my lover?" He turned his head to look at the blond.

"Lover?" Draco asked.

"I'm not fond of 'boyfriend'," Charlie shared.

"Oh," Draco didn't think too much on it.

"You were incredible. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah."

"Not sore?"

"No." Draco's eyes were closed.

"You're so fucking perfect."

Draco shifted, putting his head on Charlie's chest. "You smell really good."

"Yeah? What do I smell like?"

"I don't know. Charlie."

He laughed lightly and put his arm around Draco's back. "I smell good to you?"

"Mhm," Draco held him in return.

"Eighty-percent smell," he mumbled, eyes closed.

Draco was too tired to answer.

When the sun came up Charlie leaned forward kissing the top of Draco's head. He touched his hair softly and then gently tried to maneuver his way out of the bed.

He showered and dressed and then paused to stare at the body in his bed. Draco was the most wonderful thing he'd ever seen in a long time. The way his body was molded, his frame, his height, his hair, his color, he was perfect, every piece of him was in order. His sarcasm, his sense of humor, his jealousy, and spitefulness, everything that he was was so incredible.

Charlie left him a note and smiled before leaving the tent.

He remembered the night before, watching Draco struggle between what he wanted and what he was comfortable with, watching him compromise for pleasure, take risks. The way his fingers were so careful and curious.

Charlie couldn't stop grinning.

He wanted to be with him, lay with him longer, sit with him at the table, take him out, watch his face when Charlie paid the bill, or hear him laugh at a story he hadn't told in a while. He wanted Draco, just to be near him.

It felt odd. His chest felt tight and he was so excited and nervous all at once. He'd known this feeling before but it had been such a long time.

Draco woke up and rolled over, staring at the ceiling of the tent a short while before getting up. He felt kind of giddy. Last night had been wonderful. Charlie wasn't seeing him as a child anymore. He had even called him his lover.

He found the note the redhead had left on the table.

_"Draco, _

_You're so bloody perfect._

_Charlie Weasley"_

Draco smiled.

Later that evening Charlie walked into the tent and sat down at the table to take off his boots. He had been worked through lunch but at least he was done for the night. "Hey, sorry I didn't come back earlier," he said loudly so Draco could hear wherever he was in the tent.

"It's fine," Draco said climbing out of the bed. "I did some reading." He set the Dragonology book on the table in front of the redhead.

Charlie turned his chair and reached for Draco's hand, pulling him towards himself with a wide smile. He couldn't remember being this happy. "What did you find?"

Draco chuckled letting himself be pulled down to sit across Charlie's lap. He pulled the book closer opening it. "My magic's going to get stronger, isn't it?"

"Why? You planning something?" Charlie asked with a small laugh.

Draco shook his head. "No," he answered playfully.

Charlie leaned forward and kissed his shoulder. He put his hand in the blonde's and started playing with his fingers. "What do you want for dinner?"

"Whatever you want is fine." He looked down, watching Charlie's tan hand move up and hold his arm where they both knew the mark was.

"Don't you get hot only wearing long sleeves?" Charlie asked.

"It's better than the alternative," Draco answered.

Charlie let his arm go and wrapped his own about his waist. "I think you're bloody gorgeous with or without that thing showing."

Draco rolled his eyes. "So, um, we're dating, right?"

"Yeah," he said softly kissing his shoulder again. "Have been, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, just, thinking."

"About what?"

"We're a couple," he said.

"Hey, look at that, we are." Charlie joked he moved his hand over the blonde's back.

Draco smiled.

"I should make us something to eat," Charlie said, hypocritically not moving and kissing Draco's shoulder again.

"Did you eat lunch?" Draco asked.

"Kenny brought us sandwiches. They were sort of bland. Did you eat?"

Draco shook his head. "I wasn't hungry."

"Are you hungry now?"

Draco shrugged. "I could eat."

"Alright then," Charlie declared. He took Draco's hips and moved him gently off his lap. Charlie went to find something from the pantry to make. "Find anything else interesting in your readings?"

"I'll be powerful and strong… and have a vile temper."

"You've already got that," Charlie joked. He swooped down to kiss his head as if to physically say 'no offense.'

Draco ignored him as if to say 'none taken.' "Aren't you a little bit worried?"

"About what?" Charlie slung a dish towel over his shoulder

"I could hurt you."

"That's why I mated you." Charlie looked over his shoulder at him with a wink.

"But we won't be able to communicate."

Charlie cast a charm on the food to finish cooking without him. He went back over to the table and stood beside Draco in the chair. "We can play with sounds some more."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Like that'd help."

"Shure it would." He moved closer and leaned towards his ear. "What was it?" He made the gruff hum again.

Draco shoved his face away. "That was nonsense."

Charlie laughed. "Even dragons know gibberish, huh?" He leaned against the table facing the Malfoy. "All I need to know is that one sound right? The one that got you to be my mate, whatever's got you all riled up will stop if I just let you know your mate's there."

"Oh sure, a conversation like: 'you're a human I want to eat you, I'm so bloody confused,' 'I love you.'"

"I don't think dragons say 'bloody' that's an English thing."

"Oh shut up," Draco got up from the chair and stepped out of the kitchen. "I want to be serious for a second and all you do is crack jokes."

"Draco, you'll be fine," Charlie said. He followed him and took his shoulders. "If there's one thing I know, it's dragons, alright. I don't need to know what you're saying to get what you mean." His hands moved up to his face. "If something's off I'll know it. I'll know when I need to back away." His blue eyes of Weasley breeding looked into the shinning grey of Malfoy's. "I won't let anything happen to you and I won't be stupid enough to get hurt too badly in the process." He smiled.

"Do you always know just what to say?"

"Yes," he answered with a grin.

Draco moved his hands up into red hair and pulled the man down until their lips collided. Charlie chuckled when the kiss ended and let out a purr.

Draco shook his head with a shy smile.

"That was it, wasn't it?" Charlie asked, excited.

"Or something close," Draco stepped back, out of the embrace.

Charlie grabbed his hands and pulled him close again. "You know, if I wasn't starving right now I'd-"

"What, charm the pants off me?"

"Actually yeah. I've done it once, I'm sure I can do it again."

"How do you know it wasn't I who charmed the pants off you?"

"Suppose we'll never know then." Charlie smiled.

Draco shook his head and walked away again, back towards the table. "What did you make?"

"Fish."

"Fish is fine," Draco agreed.

Charlie set a plate down in front of the Malfoy before taking the seat beside him for himself. "Read anything else interesting?"

"Tokens."

"What was that?"

"Matting has more to it than you told me."

"Well that's dependent on the species," Charlie corrected.

"Ironbellies give tokens."

"Yeah," Charlie agreed. "Kinda like birds. Pretty stuff to put in the nest. Why? You want a prettier nest?"

"Better sheets wouldn't hurt."

Charlie laughed. He looked over at their bed. "Yeah maybe. Want to go shopping or something?"

"I wouldn't mind going out for once."

Charlie nodded. "But you don't want to seem like a couple outside the tent?" he asked knowingly.

"I'm sorry," Draco said meekly. "I'm just not comfortable yet."

"It's okay. I get it."

They were quiet a while, eating instead of talking. The silence was broken by a third voice. "Char?" The other Weasley stepped into his brother's tent.

Charlie got up from the table excitedly. "Bill, what are you doing here?" He greeted him with a small hug as they usually did.

"Mum sent me," Bill answered. "Said you haven't been answering your mail again." He noticed Draco at the table. "Oh, hello." He looked at his brother again. "Am I interrupting a romantic meal?"

Charlie laughed. "No, just a normal one." His hand grabbed his brother's shoulder. "Draco, this is Bill."

Draco remained in his seat but presented his hand. "Hello."

Bill accepted without hesitation. "Sorry, I didn't know you'd be here."

"I'm always here," Draco answered.

Bill looked at Charlie. "What?"

Charlie cleared his throat. "Draco's a resident on the reservation."

"Oh," Bill invited himself to a seat at the table. "I didn't know you were in training to be a keeper. You like dragons as much as Char?" He was trying to make conversation.

"No, but really no one likes dragons as much as Charlie," Draco answered with a smile.

Bill laughed. "That's the truth. You know, we all said he'd rather settle down with one of them than try to date again. Good thing you came along."

Charlie sighed.

Draco looked at the redhead still standing. "Is that true?"

"It was a joke," Charlie said.

"Is it true?"

"Draco, don't-"

"Excuse me," Draco got up and walked out of the tent.

Bill looked quizzically at his younger brother. "I feel like I've missed something."

"Yeah, you did." Charlie agreed while cleaning up their dinner.

"Well, are you going to clue me in or just leave me curious?"

Charlie sighed looking into the sink. He moved back to the table and sat down across from his brother. "He's not in training, he doesn't work on the reservation, in fact he finds dragons disgusting," he explained.

"Then why is he here?" Bill asked.

"He is one," Charlie said gravely.

"What?" Bill was in disbelief.

"It's a curse."

"In a way you really did settle down with one then," Bill tried to lighten the air.

"No," Charlie corrected.

"He lives here?" Bill asked seriously.

Charlie nodded.

Bill rose an inquisitive brow.

Charlie rolled his eyes. "So what did Mum send you for?"

"She wanted to know if you'd be visiting. I think she wants us all close with Fred and all."

"I know," Charlie said sadly. "I'm working."

"Why don't you at least come to dinner," Bill suggested. "She'd leave you be the rest of the month."

"I'm taking Draco to see his parents for his birthday, maybe I'll spend the day at the Burrow."

"That'd be nice. So, is it serious?"

"What?"

Bill nodded towards the tent door.

Charlie smiled and looked at his hands.

Bill shook his head. "You just never will admit it," he declared. He looked at his brother a little longer. "Maybe it's actually better that way."

"What do you mean?"

"You get scared. You run. You're a runner."

"Not this time," Charlie defended.

"Good." Bill nodded. He looked at the tent entrance as if looking at the teenager just outside. "I hope you're right." He got up from the table. "And write Mum," he said before walking out.

Draco was sitting on the grass staring out at the trees across the reservation. Bill stopped. "Sorry again to interrupt, and about what I said." Draco looked up but the Weasley was just standing there staring out in the same direction with his hands in his pockets. "My brother's nice and everything, he'll do right by you." He finally looked down at the blond. "He's just kind of an idiot too."

Draco laughed and nodded.

"I should get going. Don't go easy on him." He winked and walked off before apparating.

Draco got up and went back into the tent. Charlie was back to cleaning up their dinner. Draco stood there a moment. "So, you're brother's nice."

"Yeah," Charlie agreed.

Draco stepped closer, putting a hand on the back of a chair. "And, you don't just find me attractive because of the curse right?"

"No," Charlie said quickly, turning towards him. "Of course not."

"Because when I first got here you were staring at me like it was the hottest thing you'd ever seen."

"Maybe you're the hottest thing I've ever seen," Charlie challenged with a smile.

"Because I'm half dragon."

"No, because you are."

Draco rolled his eyes.

"You know how gorgeous you are," Charlie said. "You spend most your time in the mirror."

"I do not," Draco argued.

Charlie smiled and stepped towards him. "Don't you remember last night at all?"

Draco looked away, trying not to blush.

"How many times do I need to say it? You're bloody perfect." He touched the blond's face and met his eyes. He leaned down to kiss him. "So bloody perfect."


End file.
